The Viking Way
by Nefer-T
Summary: Collection of ficlets and one-shots, all HTTYD-related (movie/TV show). Various characters, predominantly Hiccstrid. - CH.11: Tell a Tale, Add a Tail - You know when word spreads around, and eventually the original message gets scrambled up?
1. Braids

Hello there all! So I had this one sitting in my hard drive, looking so abandoned. I didn't feel like I could insert it in Inn Mátik Munr but I didn't have the heart to tear it up either. I wound up re-reading, correcting, and here we are. I don't know whether to post this as a one-shot or whether to start a series of drabbles, mosty unrelated, loose stuff.

Like loose ideas I keep getting. Most are completely crazy so I never even write them down, but I've been thinking about it lately. If I ever do post other drabbles/oneshots they might just be for other characters. They might be shorter. They could possibly be longer, I don't know. xD (I always have a hard time making up my mind)

So here it is. This one is clearly Hiccstrid, of course. :3 I'd place it around four years after the first movie events.

**DISCLAIMER:** if only HTTYD were mine...

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**Braids**

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It was a cold, cold morning; even the sun seemed unwilling to rise from the horizon. Her fingers and nose were like icicles, yet a fuzzy warmth fuelled her towards her goal. Behind the Haddock household stood the young man she sought, all clad in his riding leathers, preparing his Night Fury for take-off.

"Hi Astrid!" Hiccup greeted the blonde Viking cheerfully, his cheeks flush against the icy air, "What brings you here this early in the morning?"

She watched as he removed his hands from Toothless' saddle device and ran them through his head, a bit of a habit he'd gotten into. Absurdly, she wished he'd tangle his fingers in her hair.

"I've come to say goodbye," she replied, fixing her stare on the small scar across his chin, scarcely bearded with soft stubble. _It's just that last night we didn't have a chance to be alone_, she added in the back of her mind.

There had been too many people in the Great Hall when Hiccup announced he was leaving on a fortnight-long trip with Toothless. He'd been talking about it for months; his desire to explore the Barbaric Archipelago on his own, to fully taste the freedom of the skies while gathering precious knowledge. They were all surprised when he finally made up his mind about it, though. Astrid most of all.

"Well," he said, tilting his head and resting his hands on his hips, eyebrows closing in together, "o-kay then. I'll, uh… see you in two weeks?"

She shrugged, unsure of how else to express herself. Words were so _tricky_. She mumbled something and bit her lip.

He crossed his arms over his chest, befuddled. "Say what now?"

"I said I'll miss you," she repeated, louder, "Maybe if you got that mop of hair under control you'd have heard me!"

Hiccup laughed, filling the air around his face with a cloud of billowy breath, filling her stomach with those all-too familiar butterflies. He walked closer to her, beaming that insufferably adorable smirk.

"I know you enjoy my **mop**, M'lady." He teased, tousling his hair even further just to make a point. Astrid shook her head in denial, but kept the smile on her lips. What he said next took her by surprise.

"You could come with me, you know? It'd be fun to go on a trip together; just you, me and our dragons…" He flourished his hands across the air dramatically. "Flying off into the sunset together. Well, sunrise, in this case."

She gawked at him, unsure whether to laugh at his craziness or blush at his offer. It's not that she hadn't entertained the thought once or twice, but… What **would** she say? She couldn't go. Not while she was yet a maiden. She hid her hands behind her back to hide her nervous fingers.

"Nah, I won't" she hoped she sounded nonchalant enough, "I've got… stuff to do."

"What stuff?"

"My stuff."

"It'd be fun." He could be really insistent. Not to mention convincing when he waggled his eyebrow like that.

"I can have fun here in Berk." She look over at Toothless – half for reassurance, half to try and get Hiccup's distracting stare out of her field of vision. The Night Fury scoffed at her and arched a scaly eyebrow: _Yeah, keep telling yourself that, sister_.

Hiccup's arms flailed about in the air, gesturing his disbelief in that particular little sign language of his. "You kidding me? Just the other day you said you were bored out of your wits!"

"I don't remember saying that. You sure it was me?" Well **that** was lame. If only he could stop getting closer to her – he was making her feel oddly uneasy.

"Hah, that's the worst comeback ever. Hello? Midgard to Astrid?" He waved his hand in front of her face and she swatted it away, giggling when he threw his hands up in the air in mock offense. Ugh, she felt like some silly southern girl, like one of those roman maidens who fainted at the sight of blood and donned dresses of fine silk and expensive perfumes to attract suitors. She needed to Viking-up.

"Stop being so pushy. I told you I can't go."

"You said «can't» that time," he replied, scratching his chin with his left hand. He was being so distracting again. She blurted out the words before she could think about them.

"My parents won't let me…." She stopped, but the damage was done. He looked at her quizzically, certainly finding her statement somewhat laughable.

"Your **parents** won't let you? What? But why –"

Well, she might as well say it now.

"They won't allow me to be away for such a long time."

He still seemed lost. She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, groaning.

"With you. **Alone**." She stressed that last word, just in case. Well, that seemed to do the trick. He mouthed a surprised "oh!" – his cheeks turned a deeper shade of cherry as he comprehended the implications. They stood in silence for a while as he worked out his response; he balanced himself on the ball of his foot, skittishly tapping his prosthetic on the ground.

"It's not like we're… kids anymore. We can behave." Gods, this was all forms of awkward. Toothless snorted heartily, revealing his pink gums in a clear display of hilarity. Both Hiccup and Astrid shot him a glare, to which he replied with even more pink and a vigorous nod.

"I think that might be the problem. We're **not** kids anymore," Astrid said. She looked at Hiccup, who was now intently staring at the rising sun, his outline delineated against the white-blue skies. There was an amused smirk on his lips; the nerve! She squeaked with indignation as she delivered a half-hearted punch to his lower ribs. He merely pretended to be hurt, rubbing his sides with overly-enthusiastic vigor.

"But you'll behave, right?" She asked, wondering why she was so doubtful all of a sudden. He turned and smiled that goofy smile of his, eliciting that familiar flutter in her chest. It increased tenfold the moment he grabbed her hands and pulled them up to his mouth, planting a firm kiss on her fingertips.

"Of course I will." It was the way he looked at her right then… That was all the reassuring Astrid needed. She felt like she'd taken her hands from an ice-filled bucket and plunged them into the furnace at the forge. She could almost hear them sizzle and she could have sworn there was vapour wafting from them.

But still…

"What are you doing?" He asked when she removed her hands from his, but quieted when she hushed him. Hiccup stood unmoving while her fingers dug into his hair, brushing it softly until she found the right spot. He kept his inquiring eyes on her as she worked, making her feel a little edgy. When she finished, she rummaged through the pouch at her hip and pulled two thin strings from them.

"All settled," she announced. He ran his fingers over his hair, feeling the two small braids she had just made. There was a flash of a smile on him before he dipped his head and placed his lips upon hers, effectively rendering her breathless.

He kissed the tip of her nose sweetly. "Thank you. I'll miss you, too."

He took her in his arms and held her there for a moment, and in one tight squeeze he drove all the cold away from her. He backed away slowly, dragging his fingertips across her arms and hands to the very end of her fingers, prolonging the contact between their skins as long as possible.

Her arms wrapped around herself, unconsciously trying to reproduce Hiccup's embrace. She watched him straddle Toothless and smirk at her again before putting on his leather helmet, his face disappearing behind the head-piece.

She managed to find her voice again just before they took off. "It's not that I'm worried, you know. You look pretty silly with all those straps and contraptions attached to you anyway." She knew, even if she couldn't see his face, that he was still smiling. She could hear it in his voice, muffled behind the leather.

"It's a good thing my girlfriend likes silly, then!"

With one flap of black wings man and dragon were up in the air; she gazed at them as they gradually melted into the skies, until they were but an indistinguishable blur.

Astrid blushed at her own thought, but weighed the idea in her mind nonetheless: when he returned, she would make sure to give him a good reason not to stay away for long so soon.

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FINITO

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Reviews are much welcomed and gladly accepted. :)

So, should I post other drabbles? Make sure to cast your vote! Lol. I'm always afraid of unleashing these things out into the world. xD *blushu bushu*


	2. I Saw Red

Hiccstrid drabble, because I love those two. If you haven't seen the "Obama video" in the Dreamworks studio I highly suggest you do so!

That little clip and the e-book covers sent me riding high in my Hiccstrid craze. I think I've been in a liquid state for the past three days due to the cuteness overload. I keep melting over. :)

**Summary**: sometimes you just wanna get dirty.

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**I Saw Red**

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Hiccup was just minding his own business that afternoon, working on the new pedal for Toothless' saddle. It was a continuous work: make a new design, build it, test it out. Work out the kinks, redesign, test it again. Fix the dent on the metal after a bad crash when test-flying, redesign the complex wire system for improved manoeuvrability.

Actually, it was _double_ the work – the new pedal he envisioned also called for a new prosthetic for his missing foot. He hummed tunelessly as he worked, completely absorbed in his projects for most of the day. Soon Toothless would grow restless and invade the smithy, demanding he be taken out on a sunset lap around the island; so he'd better make the best of his time.

Whenever inspiration struck him – it could be anywhere, anytime, so usually he'd have to write it down on his notebook and just drop everything else as soon as possible – it could last for hours, days. Even weeks, like when he was obsessed about building a station specifically for the AirMail Terrors.

He did prefer to work at night, but the more hours he could get into it the better. All of his focus was directed to studying the project he had at hand. Nothing should distract him from –

"Hiccup!"

Aaand there was Astrid calling out for him. He groaned (only slightly peeved about being disturbed since the interrupter was always a sight for sore eyes) and put down his writing stick, standing up. He stretched his sore muscles – how long had he been sitting in the same position? – and ambled over to the passage from his workspace to the smithy. He knocked into a couple of his projects, bits of wood and leather and paper falling on the ground, and made a mental note about cleaning the place up or rebuilding it bigger. The lack of space was getting on his nerves. It was a good thing he'd forgotten the pigments he'd bought from trader Johann on the smithy's workshop table, else his little nook would be a colourful mess right then.

"Yeah Astrid, I'm here. What can I help - ?"

"Think fast!" He heard her say, and suddenly her axe was pretty much flying in his direction. He whelped in astonishment yet his left hand shot forward, successfully grabbing the weapon's handle with ease. He didn't even sag or stumble with the weight of it, merely standing there in confusion as his girlfriend let out a triumphant "Ha! Told ya so!"

Astrid spun around with a bounce and addressed whoever it was that Hiccup couldn't see. "Pay up, Thorston."

Ruffnut grumbled from behind one of the smithy's pillars, shoved her left hand in the pocket of her vest and begrudgingly threw a small piece of silver at Astrid, who grabbed it and happily secured the metal inside her pouch.

"At least I got to see you almost lop his head off. Nice catch, Hiccup," Ruffnut droned before leaving, torn somewhere between irritation for losing her money and renewed respect for Hiccup's motor skills.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he called, unimpressed by the compliment. He glared at Astrid, who was biting back a grin.

"Easy money!" She told him as if to explain what had happened.

"Is this gonna be a regular thing? Because I don't know if I want to spend the rest of my life being used as the subject for money bets on my survival, you know." He placed the axe on a workbench and crossed his arms, annoyed.

"Oh, come on! I have full confidence on your hand-eye coordination," Astrid replied, biting down her lips to prevent them from stretching any further. It wasn't really working – she was still grinning – but the way he bit her lips just almost made him forget why he was riled in the first place. Almost. That, and the underlying compliment she'd just given him.

"Is that so? Good to know you find me skilful enough to try and murder me." He suppressed the smirk from growing on his face when she inched closer to him, swaying her hips ever so slightly. He wondered if she knew she did that more often than not, especially when she was about to request something from him.

"Well, I was just on my way to ask you to sharpen my axe" - ah, there it was - "when Ruffnut bumped into me and asked what target I'd be practicing on, and… You know. One thing lead to another and here we are. I'm a silver piece richer."

He wiped that pleased little expression off her with his reply. "Good for you then, because I'm charging you for my work," Hiccup said, as seriously as possible and with the straightest face he could muster.

"No way! You never charged me for anything before." That was true enough. And he would never charge her for anything, but she needn't be told that for now.

"I gotta start somewhere! I can't work for free, you know. Gotta make a living and all that," Hiccup shrugged, "at least until you actually succeed in killing me."

She scoffed and placed her hands on her hips, her head tilted sideways in that typical stance of hers. "Fine. Name your price then."

"That silver piece you just got," Hiccup replied, and when she started complaining he held up his hands defensively and added, "It's just a **tiny** bit of silver! Don't be so stingy." Now it was his turn to be amused, but he didn't let it show. He kept his business face on.

"I can't believe the… ugh. No, it's mine."

"I was the one whose life was at stake, so technically it should be mine," he reasoned.

"Yeah but you're harder to kill than most people, apparently. Besides, I didn't even throw it with full swing."

He edged closer to her, and **almost** lost his poker face when she battered her thick long eyelashes at him. Again, he wondered if she did it on purpose or not.

"I demand payment," he insisted.

"Pick another price," her voice had an edge of a husk in it now, "and you'll receive it." She fell right into his trap. He took his time replying, pretending to think about what he wanted.

"Kiss me, then."

"Fine," she whispered, the curve of her lips gathering into a soft pucker. He slanted his head sideways, a "_YES_" for victory blaring in the back of his head, his eyes shutting close. He stood there like an idiot for a moment, paused in a mid-air kiss. When he didn't feel her lips anywhere near his, he opened his eyes.

"Think fast!" She yelled, but this time he didn't have a fraction of a second to react. Something splashed at the side of his face and his ear, and he immediately jolted at the feeling of the cold fluid. Bewildered, he ran his right hand over his cheek and checked it. A bright crimson liquid was running down his fingers, soaking unto the floor and on his tunic.

He scowled at Astrid, who looked particularly pleased with herself, holding the small empty bowl of red paint in her hand as though it were her battle trophy. "That colour looks good on you," she teased, pulling her tongue out at him.

"Oh, you're so ON!" Hiccup growled, grabbing another small bowl at random and chucking its contents at her face. A very surprised Astrid dropped the container she'd been holding, gasping in indignation and wiping her eyes and mouth with her hands.

He prepared to strike the final blow. He nodded in the most patronising, supercilious way possible before saying, "Well, guess you kinda look hot in blue, _Milady_."

"You little, rat-eating – " she began, seething, and when she lunged forward Hiccup thought he'd gone too far and warranted himself a punch to the face. But there was no fist – just a vigorous stroke of her fingers across his cheek. He cocked his head and looked at her, lost. Uncertainly, he brought up his fingers and glided them across her face as well, drawing two streaks of red on her chin.

There was a stretch of silence as they examined each other's faces. He felt the laughter bubbling up within him, and saw her contract her lips into a pained expression of suppressed delight. Then they both burst out laughing like they'd gone out of their minds, tumbling into one another, pushing and shoving playfully and tickling back and forth. They got paint all over their clothes and the forge's floor, and only stopped their lively roughhousing when they could no longer breathe steadily.

He slumped against the large work table, his stomach flipping with each rumbling laugh. Astrid leaned against him, still shaking with giggles, and cupped his cheeks to pull him into a quick kiss; he laughed faintly into her lips, diverted from the world.

Then she rubbed her face all over his, their skin tacky upon contact due to the paint. They burst out laughing once more at the sight of their purple-stained faces and just sat together, blue-hand-in-red-hand, until they could breathe normally again, the overall goofyness of the whole situation bringing them a calm sense of companionship.

Hiccup stood up, shaking the dust off him to no avail. He frowned down at his clothes, which were in dire need for a thorough cleanse sometime soon.

"We're a hot mess, huh?" Astrid quipped. Hiccup nodded and stretched his now-purple hand to her; she took it and pulled herself up, rotating on the spot so he could take a better look. She was covered in dirt and soot and paint, red and blue and purple, her braid threatening to come undone and her headband slightly askew. But the smile on her face was genuinely amorous and happy.

"Yep," Hiccup conceded, "We're a mess!"

"Seriously though, red does suit you," Astrid chirped humorously. "Also, congratulations for making me act like a five-year-old."

"You're very much welcome!" Hiccup retorted, bowing almost to the floor, "Next time we could play doctors."

He hadn't really said it with any intent on an innuendo, but the way her eyes dilated and her lips pursed told him he'd gone for the wrong choice of words. He blurted out his apology and wiggled his painted hands about as though trying to erase the words, but she just brushed it off with a nervous chuckle and an odd twitch of her shoulders.

"Seriously Hiccup, the things you remember sometimes!"

Astrid turned around and left the forge, circling it to her right so as to minimize the chance of being seen lathered up in paint, scurrying to her house. Hiccup couldn't recall what she was referring to, though, so he slipped his way back to his workshop to wash up. He picked up the discarded paint containers – he'd need to order more blue and red from Trader Johan – and stood looking at the empty red one thoughtfully.

"Red suits me…" Inspiration struck. Hiccup added some water to the remnants of paint, using it to colour his new sketches with dashes of crimson. When Toothless appeared at his doorstep, Hiccup just signalled for him to wait.

"Just let me finish this, bud! She says she likes red on me… I can't go overboard, though…"

Toothless grumbled and scoffed, but decided to sit on his haunches and wait anyway.

_Indeed, humans have the _strangest_ mating rituals I have ever witnessed_.

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**END**


	3. Soap

**Summary:** some things really shouldn't be experimented with.

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**Soap**

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"What're you doin' here so late? Back to your house, come on lad."

Gobber's gentle nudge and kind tone stirred Hiccup awake. He'd fallen asleep at his desk in the smithy's back room again, his forehead rested upon his arms. Bleary-eyed, he blinked to dispel the mist that covered his vision. His drawing stick was still held between his left hand's fingers and he had carbon smudges on both hands.

Looking down at his unfinished sketch – a new weapon he was designing for himself – Hiccup let out a yawn and stood up, drowsily allowing Gobber to guide him home. He would have fallen asleep while climbing the stairs to his loft again, if it hadn't been for the cold temperature. Hiccup snuggled under his fur blankets and drifted off into sleep again.

He dreamed of finally taking down a dragon with his finished weapon. His life got so much better. His father recognized him. His peers admired him. Astrid returned his affections…

Hiccup woke up that morning with people yelling. He groaned, irritated. He'd gotten very little hours of sleep, judging by the headache now throbbing away at his temples. He was about to cover his ears to muffle the sounds, when he heard something that caught his attention.

"… Trader Johan, finally!"

Hiccup sprang out of bed almost immediately, nearly forgetting to put on his boots, headache now elapsed. He ran to the docks where everyone else was headed to with an unusual lightness to his steps, stopping briefly at the smithy only to gather some items he'd put aside for trade and the list of stuff he needed.

Due to that year's particularly nasty winter storms, Trader Johan hadn't docked in Berk in almost six months now. It was far too long for anyone to go without the man's novelties and supplies.

Hiccup was in dire need of ink, writing sticks, painting pencils, and some finer tools Gobber had no use for.

The line for the ship was long and bustling with excited people, all of them too happy to about the ship's arrival to actually bother getting into arguments about said line.

"Do not worry, my Hairy friends!" Trader Johan called out, "I will be staying here until the morrow, so you have plenty of time! Lucky for you, you're my favorite tribe in the entire Archipelago! Step right in, it' is a beautiful day for business!"

The line grew behind Hiccup. Occasionally some folks would greet him good morning, more out of courtesy than anything else. People made excited conversation and laughed about what a relief it was to finally be making their trades, while Hiccup was entirely focused on what items he would need for some of his projects.

In his distraction and amidst all the noise he barely noticed his peers arriving until Snotlout gave him a vigorous pat in the back.

"Hiccup, cousin! Buddy! How are you?"

"Hi guys…" Hiccup said, wary of the forced enthusiasm with which Snoutlout greeted hadn't been "buddies" since they were seven, at least.

"Thanks for saving that spot in line for us," Tuffnut said loudly so that the now-scowling adults would hear him. He gave Hiccup a thumbs-up and took the place right in front of the brunet.

Hiccup began to protest, but Ruffnut interrupted him. "Yeah, thanks man." And she, too, cut in front of him. Snotlout shoved the other two, placing himself at the lead of the group of teens. Even Fishlegs did it – though he at least had the decency to genuinely **thank** Hiccup.

Snotlout extended a hand to Astrid, signalling for her to come stand next to him in line. But she merely shook her head and crossed her arms, apparently unamused.

"I'm not cutting in front of all these people," she said irritably, gesturing to all the folks standing to their backs.

"We're not _cutting in_," Snotlout drawled, "we're just taking the spots that Hiccup _kept_ for us!"

"Well, Hiccup hardly occupies _one_ spot as it is…" Ruffnut bantered.

Astrid clicked her tongue impatiently and turned around to leave.

"Come on, babe! The sooner we get out of here, the more time you and I will have to –" Snotlout didn't finish his sentence due to having an axe suddenly pointed at his throat.

"Don't you even _dare_," she seethed. He didn't.

"You can take my place," Hiccup blurted out, blinking frantically. Astrid lowered the weapon.

"What?" She asked, her annoyed expression softening. "No, Hiccup. I won't."

"No no, really, it's okay!" Hiccup said, stumbling backwards – his arms were full of contraptions and he had a full satchel dangling from his shoulder – gesturing at the vacant spot with his head. "I bet you have a pretty busy day of… uh, training."

He really hoped Snotlout would have nothing to do with her day.

"You know, because I can tell you train a lot. Hard. Because you're really good. And all that." Hiccup tripped on his words a little, slightly nervous because of the way she was looking at him and also due to the twins' snickering.

"And I'm just… Hiccup, you know." He made a dismissive gesture with his shoulders and head. "It's my day off from the forge so yeah. Not really that busy. I can wait. See you."

As Hiccup walked away he could hear Snotlout saying, "You know Astrid, I was actually just about to offer you my spot too…"

* * *

When Hiccup finally arrived at the Great Hall the day was well in through the afternoon and he was famished, but pleased that he'd gotten so many goodies from trading.

He ate with unusual appetite – he hadn't even had time to break his fast that morning, after all – and when he was well and full, he intended to run off to the forge immediately to get more work done on his new project.

On his way back, Hiccup heard the twins roaring with laughter. And everyone knew that whenever the Thorstons laughed _like that_ there was sure to be **something **going on. He followed the sound of pure mirth well past his house, into the border of the forest. The closer he got the more he could hear. Now Fishlegs and Astrid's voices joined in on the chorus of voices, further peaking his curiosity.

Everyone was laughing – except for Snotlout, who was bright red in the face and donned the most pissed-off look Hiccup could ever recall seeing. Hiccup could see why – Snotlout's hair was no longer black.

Instead it looked like a mixture of brown, orange and yellow, in a way similar to a tabby cat. A ver ugly, overgrown, hairy cat. And a very grumpy one at that.

Tuffnut dangled from a nearby tree branch with Snotlout's helmet firmly gripped in his hands, but he was convulsing so hard that he risked falling with each bout of chortles.

Even Hiccup had to bite back his lips, but a loud snort still escaped him. He immediately covered his mouth and nose to prevent being heard – he really didn't want Snotlout to pick him as a punching bag today – but luckily the twins were making too much noise for Hiccup's sound to be noticeable.

"I told you already, _shut up_!" Snotlout barked to everyone else. "Trader Johan gave me a crappy soap! I'm going to go back there and punch the living daylights out of him!"

Even Snotlout's threats seemed comical. By now, Ruffnut was rolling on the floor clutching at her sides, Fishlegs was doubled over and slumped against a tree, Tuffnut was _just_ about to lose his balance and even Astrid had her elbow firmly clasped in front of her mouth, but Hiccup could see the tears welling in her eyes and the way her body twitched whenever she tried to take in breath.

Fed up with all the mockery, Snotlout finally kicked the tree – sending a still-laughing Tuffnut careening to the ground with a loud thump – and reclaimed his helmet, not before placing a well-aimed kick at Tuffnut's ribs. The blond Viking resumed his banter as soon as he got air back into his lungs though, and remained rolling about on the ground along with his sister.

Snotlout marched past Hiccup, tackling him with his shoulder on the way out. "What are _you_ looking at," he growled, but Hiccup merely shook his head and shrugged, trying to seem as oblivious as possible.

Snotlout stomped away, cussing heavily. After he was out of earshot, Hiccup finally voiced out his amusement, but not as enthusiastically as the others.

"What happened?" Hiccup asked to anyone willing to answer. Ruffnut tried to reply, still breathless and trembling from the exertion, holding her aching red cheeks.

"Sn, Snotlout, he tried…" she breathed in, "to g-go blond…" she snorted in a very un-ladylike manner and covered her mouth, unable to proceed.

Tuffnut continuedin his sister's behalf, yelling out "He actually _said that_! He-he walked up t-to Astrid," Tuffnut stood up and tried to mimic Snotlout's face by tilting his head and pulling his lips into a quivering pucker, "Hey babe…."

He breathed in for further dramatic effect. "I've gone blond just for you." Tuffnut dropped to his knees and continued to laugh enthusiastically.

Fishlegs stepped in, waving his beefy hands in the air. "And then he _took off his helmet_ and we see all of those colours!"

It took them a while to finally wipe out all their tears and set their faces straight. Even Hiccup's cheeks hurt – after all, he did stand there grinning like an idiot the whole time.

"What an idiot, that Snotlout!" Tuffnut said.

"Right?" his sister agreed, smirking. "Trying to impress Astrid with dyed hair… ha! Like that'd help. Right?" she said, this time to Astrid, nudging her.

"Yeah. At least that was a fun way to end the day," said Astrid, smiling. She quickened her pace and disappeared towards her house, not before adding, "I prefer brown hair anyway. See you guys!"

Hiccup nearly stopped on his tracks, Astrid's words rattling his brain. He told himself it was nothing, nothing at all, he was just overthinking it as usual... But he saw Fishlegs and the twins shoot him a silent, meaningful look.

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**END**

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**A/N:** Vikings prized blond hair very much - the darker the hair, the uglier they considered it.

Blond hair was one of their upmost standards of beauty, and even men used a special soap to dye their hair blond. Of course, the dye doesn't take as well on black hair... Hahaha. Poor Snotlout.

Please review, it means a lot. I thrive on feedback. Also, I don't bite. :p much. Unless you ask. xD


	4. Doctor, Doctor!

**Summary:** Small children's innocence and imagination oftentimes get them into trouble. Dangly bits ahoy!

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**Doctor, Doctor!**

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"Great idea, Hiccup!"

Now there's a phrase one seldom hears. Hiccup always seemed to have his head up in the air, coming up with strange ideas that eventually caused people very severe issues.

His suggestions would usually catch grown men off guard; apparently his thought process – and even his choice of vocabulary – were deemed troublesome or unsuitable for Vikings. Especially for Vikings as _young_ as he was.

The Chief's son seemed to have a bit of a knack for getting into trouble and sort of dragging everyone along with him. Like that time when he convinced all the kids his age to go searching for trolls. Obviously the most surefooted way to catch one was to build traps using left socks.

There had been an argument about which sock was the left one as soon as they arrived at the first household. They eventually agreed they would use both socks, and see what would happen.

As a result, the baffled inhabitants of Berk came to their homes and were met with a series of crooked contraptions in which their socks were the decoys. Others found their socks hanging at odd places in the forest, pinned on trees or under rocks.

Some other time Hiccup suggested they set up "proper traps" to catch dragons with, since the ones the adults used were "not helping". Said traps consisted in tying ropes from one house to the other, so **(**"theoretically", said little Hiccup; none of the other kids understood what that meant but they nodded anyway**)** when the dragons flew between the houses they would get caught in them.

This, of course, only caused several adults to trip over during a dragon raid.

They got grounded for weeks in both occasions.

The other children were beginning to become wary of Hiccup's troublesome ideas, and so didn't entirely trust him with suggestions for games.

But this time the idea seemed harmless enough. Fishlegs was the first to agree – he hated fighting despite his clear size advantage, so he liked the idea of having a doctor oversee their wooden sword fights.

Even if that doctor was just another five-year-old with a bunch of grass and flowers ("healing herbs") in his hands.

"Okay then," Snotlout said, "You and Hiccup can be the doctors. You two can't fight anyway."

Hiccup and Fishlegs nodded, unaffected by that last comment, and began to gather their supplies.

"Boys fight boys and girls fight girls!" said Snotlout, as if it were the most obvious rule EVER.

"But why?" Astrid enquired, balancing her wooden sword on her right hand testily.

Snotlout didn't pick up the threat in her voice; he was still too young. He hadn't had enough time for his self-preservation instinct to kick in yet. Had this scene occurred a few years later, he might have thought out his words better… _might_.

"You're a girl," said Snotlout dismissively, "and girls are weak and bad at everything."

Astrid huffed and shoved Snotlout straight into a puddle. He yelped and shuffled to stand up, but she pushed him back down by stomping her foot firmly on his chest.

"I'm not weak!" Astrid roared despite her petite frame, her blond double-tresses waving behind her head as she pointed the wooden sword at the fallen Snotlout, "And I'll prove it. Fight me."

Snotlout removed her foot from his chest with a push and stood up, dripping like a wet dog and smellier than one. "Fine. Just don't get _too_ close, I don't want gross _girl cooties_ on me."

Tuffnut laughed and nodded as if agreeing with Snotlout, but his sister immediately pulled on his shoulder-length hair.

"I'm a girl, you idiot!" She snarled.

"No need to remind me of that! Let go!" The male twin snapped back, dropping his sword. Well, technically it was one of Hiccup's spare wooden swords; the twins only had one of everything, except clothes (and at that age they wore each other's clothes often). On the other hand, Hiccup had one too many toy swords which he seldom used, much to his father's dismay and his mother's amusement.

Swords forgotten, the twins wrestled with each other on the muddy ground. The other children spared them a bemused glance before setting to their own activities.

Of course, as is typical with small children, ten minutes into it the "doctors" were already elbow-deep into "tending" wounds: scratches, bruises, you name it.

Astrid wound up giving Snotlout a swollen lip. She made him admit girls aren't week, and high-fived Ruffnut triumphantly when he did (Ruffnut was sitting on her brother, pulling his hair).

But in the end, Astrid assisted Fishlegs in treating Snotlout. Even Ruffnut stopped to appreciate Hiccup's careful work on Tuffnut (who kept moaning "Ow ow ow! I am hurt, I am very much hurt! My hair hurts!")

Every one of them was beginning to enjoy this new variation of the game, much their surprise. Someone tripped and fell over, call the doctor. Someone got hit in the head, call the doctor. An imaginary herd of wild yaks trampled over Ruffnut, call the doctor. The romans invaded Berk and cut off Snotlout's hand, call the doctor.

Eventually, even Astrid accompanied Hiccup on a "quest" to search for Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life. It was highly necessary in order to save Tuffnut, their Chief, wounded while fighting a horde of enormous dragons.

She was the one wielding the biggest sword, to fend off potential attackers from the healer – who also carried a sword with him just in case, but was much clumsier with it. And so they went, fighting goblins and trolls, dragons and dark elves, and even a_ jötun_, all of those within the first twenty yards of the forest.

Astrid swung her sword at said invisible _Jötun_ with extravagant verve.

"Die, fiend!" She yelled valiantly at it, slashing her toy sword viciously at the empty air… and hitting little Hiccup instead, right on the groin. He fell to the ground with a wimper and a thud, his hands instinctively acting as a barrier against further assaults.

"Doctor down, doctor down!" Astrid yelled in concern at the sight of Hiccup splayed on the ground, writing about. She actually fount it rather comical, but was in such a mood for their roleplaying that she wanted to do this right.

She could not wait for Fishlegs to arrive, so she bent down on the ground and shook Hiccup with her arms.

"Stop moving!" She scolded the "mortall"y wounded boy, tugging at his pants.

He just barely had time to register the pulling. "WHAT are you doing?" he whined.

"I'm saving you," she replied in matter-of-factly, "Or you'll bleed to death!"

Hiccup suddenly became very, very wary of their game of make-believe. "No, I won't! I'll be okay! I **am** fine!"

"I want to see if your leg's okay!" He struggled, she pulled. He tried to push her off, but she was stronger.

"You didn't hit me in the leg!" He tried to tell her, but by then it was too late. She managed to yank his pants down to his knees, but unfortunately for him his skivvies went along the ride.

Astrid stopped immediately, staring, her eyes wide.

"What is **that**?" She asked in complete disbelief. What the Hel was that thing dangling there between his legs?

"Nothing!" Hiccup yelped, taking her moment of distraction to pull his pants up and scramble back to his feet. In the meantime, the rest of the gang arrived.

"What's wrong?" asked Fishlegs, concerned.

"I think I hurt Hiccup," Astrid said with her hands covering her mouth, preoccupied that she'd somehow _damaged_ the boy. "It's swollen."

"What is?" Snotlout asked, taking a step further and staring at Hiccup's red face. It didn't look swollen at all.

"Between his legs," Astrid said, pointing at the worrisome area. Everyone shifted their gaze there, making Hiccup even more uncomfortable.

Hiccup groaned and glared at Astrid. "Nothing is swollen, I'm _fine_ now. That's just how it looks."

She seemed taken aback, but was teeming with curiosity. "I don't have that," Astrid said, "What's it called?"

They all jumped to look at Ruffnut when she let out a loud "Oh!" and smacked her right fist on her left palm.

"That's where boys pee from," Ruffnut explained to Astrid, looking smug about knowing something Astrid didn't. She then added thoughtfully, "it looks pretty stupid."

"Hey!" Tuffnut grumbled and shoved his sister, nearly tripping her. "You're the one to talk! Girls look like someone forgot to put something down there."

"Is that why girls don't pee standing?" Fishlegs asked out of sheer bookish curiosity. "Where do they pee from, then?" He seemed both confused and preoccupied.

"Duh," Ruffnut droned whilst pulling her brother's hair, "from the same place, only we don't have that silly snake-thing."

"I bet that's where their cooties come from," Snotlout added+, shuddering exaggeratedly.

"We _don't_ have cooties," Astrid warned, then added out of sheer spitefulness, "And you're right Ruffnut, it _does_ look pretty stupid."

Hiccup made to protest - he resented having one of his favorite body parts being called stupid or silly -, but was ignored.

"I bet yours looks stupider," Snotlout spit back. Challenge accepted.

And that's how they all got grounded – again. Termagent Ingerman came in looking after her son Fishlegs, and found the bunch of five-year-olds staring at each other's exposed body bits and laughing like maniacs.

* * *

**END**

* * *

**A/N:**

I wonder WHO never went through this stupid little moment as a small kid. xD

And of course boys think their wee-wees are the coolest thing every because they can pee standing up... Which, admittedly, is cool and useful.

But I digress.

I always imagined Hiccup was very charismatic ever since he was little. But the other kids eventually got tired of his eccentricities and his troublemaking - oddly enough I think that not even the Twins caused the same problems ,or at least when they did it was between themselves and not the other children. :)

Hiccup was eventually deemed an oddball by the adults, who influenced the other children's opinions, and the rest we all know...

Don't forget to leave a review, even if it's just one word. Even if it's just the word "review". _(no okay scratch that, that'd be silly)_


	5. Terror Tales

And another drabble! This one's just plain random. I love horror flicks, and was talking about them with some friends last night.

Oddly enough, I had a pretty creepy dream (that had nothing to do with this, but still). I SWEAR I woke up with a chill and a weird feeling of something pressing on my back, but there was NOTHING there. Fuck.

Young gang. Couldn't help myself but throw in the tinest bit of Hiccup-Astrid interaction.. because of reaons. Yeah.

**Summary**: fear is but a survival instinct, triggered by pain or a threat of danger... or your whatever lurks in your imagination.

* * *

**Terror Tales**

* * *

"Close your eyes and call her name three times, they say, and she comes to take you when the darkness leaves; so you may never open them again."

They had asked for a tale, the fools. He would tell them one. "Yet you do it, to prove them wrong."

"All is silent at first; you can only hear your own breath start to quiver and your heart hammering in your ears..." said the old man calmly and slowly.

"Then it begins with the sound of scratching – nails dragging upon stone. That's when you know she's there, out to get you. The hunt has started… and you are her prey."

The freezing wind blew against the tree branches outside and whistled ominously through the leaves, so loudly it could be heard indoors. It sent a chill down each person's back, like a thousand needles pricking tirelessly at their bones.

"Then all of your body grows cold," he continued, eyes bulging from their sockets, hands writing in the air, "the moment she begins to _hum_."

"It's the sound, you see, that crawls down your ears like maggots," the old man twisted his long spidery fingers in the empty air, the game of dull orange light and dusky shadows cast from the hearth adding to the unsettling effect of his words.

"There may be not a soul alongside you, but you can hear _her_. She's warning you… but there's nowhere else to run; it's dark and cold and you can't keep your feet steady."

The old man's voice continued unnervingly cool and raspy to his silent crowd.

"The smell comes next. It is that of ungodly corruption – seeping through your nose, raking your throat raw as it fills with bile, reaching down your stomach and **pulling**it inside out."

The old man growled then, his hands motioning sickeningly in the air; a terrified whimper escaped from the otherwise still mute audience.

"Her skin is clammy and sticky, the long-since dead flesh pale and glistening under the moonlight, patches of it peeling off her as she moves toward you. They lay there, those bits of skin, decaying on the floor. You can hear them falling too, hear them slapping on the ground with a plop, each time getting closer.

"What little hair she has left is black as night and clings to her skull, barely covering her white dead eyes. Her mouth is but a black void littered with rotten teeth, lipless and ever open, eager for fresh flesh. You cannot see her; but you know she's there. You feel her presence _closing in_."

The group huddled closer together unconsciously, seeking comfort in each other's proximity.

"You keep fumbling in the gloom, keep looking for a way out when there is none. You run to the left; run to the right; stumble and trip and fall."

The suspense had built up dangerously, the faces watching the storyteller intently as people held their breath. "So you tell yourself you need to see where you're going to escape. You open your eyes…

"She _hates_ being seen."

He paused to gather momentum as someone gasped.

"– but she smiles before _ripping the heart from your chest_." The boy who had whimpered before now let out a full-blown screech, jumped up and crashed nervously against his friend on his side, both quivering. The look on everyone else's faces was priceless.

"Your fresh blood drips on the floor and covers her hand and face while she devours your heart, the steam from it filling the air around you. But you're not dead. You can feel it. You can see it. Because **you** have called her, and now you will have to **watch**."

The old man's expression softened as soon as he finished. He scanned everyone's faces – mostly terrified ones – and let out a satisfied cackle, nodding approvingly. "You were the ones who asked for a terror tale!"

"Tha's right!" Gobber conceded, a little less enthusiastically than usual, "Time t'get off t'yer beds, all of you!"

He gestured to the children, motioning at them to stand up. He pulled Fishlegs – the screamer – and Snotlout apart, ordering them to take their leave.

The ten-year-olds shakily – yet begrudgingly – bid their farewells to their visitor before heading home.

The man was an old Viking sailor from an isle far away, and was called The Storyteller by his much younger companions. That's why Fishlegs had asked the man to tell them a tale, but Tuffnut was the one who said it had to be scary.

Hiccup – being Hiccup, of course – couldn't help himself. He doubled back behind Gobber and approached the elder. He asked the withered sailor what was the name of the woman from the tale.

"Sure you want to know, boy?" Hiccup nodded firmly. Reading the curiosity and resolve in the child's eyes, the old man chuckled darkly.

He leaned over listlessly and whispered, "_Dauðramein._"

Little Hiccup felt a chill from his ears down to his spine and left without saying another word, scurrying hurriedly through the nearly-empty, darkened Mead Hall. He knew the blast of cool air that hit him the moment he stepped out was just caused by the cold weather, but he quivered in discomfort nonetheless.

"Off t'yer homes then, the lot of ye! It's past yer bedtime!" Gobber bellowed.

As they were ushered down the stone steps of the hill, the other children all bombarded Hiccup with the same question: "What did you ask the old sailor?"

At first, Hiccup didn't want to say it. The tale had spooked him out a little, and even he wasn't sure what had possessed him to ask the name of the undead killer… but he eventually told the others, anyway.

"_Dauðramein?_" Snotlout repeated airily, trying to hide his uneasiness. Snotlout could never pass up an opportunity to look tougher than anyone else. Especially when he figured that might help impress Astrid.

The moment he had started taking interest in her – during last year's Thawfest games, actually – he'd become completely unbashful about it. "Sounds stupid."

"I think it's scary," Fishlegs quipped, looking a little pale.

"Dude, you're scared of _crabs_," Tuffnut added, dismissively waving his hands in the air.

"Crabs can snap your fingers off!" Fishlegs replied heatedly.

"It's just a tale," Astrid said flatly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Stories can't hurt you."

Hiccup gazed at her fondly; he always thought her to be so brave, and admired her for it. Unlike Snotlout, though, Hiccup wasn't very open with his feelings. He would just gawk oddly at the blond-haired shieldmaiden-in-training, until he would realize his jaw had gone slack.

Snotlout noticed his cousin's little display of attention and, shoving Hiccup aside, began to boast loudly about how Astrid was, indeed, quite correct. "That was just a silly bedtime story to me!"

Ruffnut immediately latched herself to Snotlout's beefy arm and gave it a vigorous tug, forcing him to a halt.

"Really?" she asked deviously, "Then you wouldn't mind calling her name out with your eyes closed, would you?"

"Why would I? I already said I think it's stupid. I don't believe any of it." Snotlout said defensively, but he did feel a bit of a queasiness in his stomach. He swallowed it down and inflated his chest.

"If you're not scared of it, then you'll **do** it!" Ruffnut insisted.

"Why don't **you** do it, then?" Snotlout spit back.

"Huh, looks like you're chickening out after all," the girl Thorston commented slyly. Oh yak on a stick. Ruffnut had him cornered.

"Fine," Snotlout conceded with fake detachment, "I'll play your stupid game –"

"But", Tuffnut cut him off, "We gotta go somewhere quiet. Somewhere indoors."

Snotlout wanted to ask _why_, because he did feel a lot safer _outside_, but he didn't want to look scared. He was relieved when Fishlegs began calling them to reason, but none of the other kids – not even Hiccup – seemed to share the plump boy's concerns.

They were in it for the thrill of adventure, at this point; Snotlout was the ideal guinea pig for it.

Everyone was surprised when it was Astrid who suggested Hiccup's place, since his dad was still going to be in the Mead Hall for a while longer. Hiccup groaned and wanted to protest – his room was currently a bit of a mess – but nobody gave him the chance.

It was an obscure and icy winter night; they rushed to the Chief's house in quick strides, the cold wind biting at their ears and noses and chilling them as it rushed through their clothes.

The moon was but a slit in the sky, providing very little light to steer the darkness away. Even the enormous braziers, held up high in the sky on their wooden pillars, flickered weakly against the Nordic gale.

If the atmosphere alone wasn't enough to creep a bunch often-year-olds out, the horror story in itself certainly did the trick. They were Vikings, however, and so considered themselves very tough; a little bit of extra adrenaline was only good for them.

They hurried upstairs to Hiccup's bedroom, where he lit up a candle and placed it on his bedside table. Nobody cared about the messiness – aside from Astrid, no one even seemed to bother looking around.

The way she was eyeing Hiccup's drawings on the walls made him feel a little bit self-conscious; her eyes flicked over him for a quick instant before focusing on Snotlout. Hiccup forced his eyes away from her and towards his cousin as well, awaiting quietly.

The group stared at Snotlout with growing expectation.

"Just a stupid game," he mumbled more to himself than to the others, before clearing his throat. His palms were sweaty now, his stomach in a turmoil. He ignored his body's reactions and steadied his voice, before closing his eyes tightly shut.

It was now or never.

"_Dauðramein._" He called once, unwaveringly. He balled his fists.

"_Dauðramein._" Second time. He held his breath.

"**Dauðramein**_._" He said, one final time. His voice faltered slightly, but he kept his stance, eyes closed and fists clenched.

Nothing happened; all he could hear was the thrumming of his own heart and an occasional breath from one of the others. The quietude was eerie, however.

"Well?" Tuffnut asked impatiently after a creepy silence. "Do you hear anything?"

"Of course not," Snotlout replied with relief.

"Maybe we need to wait longer," Ruffnut suggested.

"Told you it was a dupe," quipped Astrid, her hands now on her hips as she smirked.

"Well, that's a relief," Fishlegs said. Hiccup nodded in agreement.

But then Snotlout jerked suddenly, his eyes still closed, hissing at the other kids to keep quiet.

"What?" Fishlegs asked immediately. Snotlout's only response was a heated "Be quiet!" and they all fell back into a cautious silence.

"Do you… hear that?" He asked in a hushed voice, his eyes still shut as he scrunched his face in an effort to concentrate on something. Everyone else exchanged glances and shrugged.

"Hear what?" Astrid whispered back, an eyebrow cocked in scepticism; yet her blue eyes squinted with stinging hesitation.

An almost livid Snotlout replied, barely audible, "That… scratching…"

What was he talking about? They looked around in confusion, trying to see if anyone else gave signs of hearing something… and then a cold gust of wind. The candle blew out.

Darkness enveloped them with its chilly fingers, forcing everyone to let out a whimper.

"What?" Snotlout demanded, his voice breaking with worry. He was regretting this **so much** right now.

"Th- the light," Hiccup said, "The candlelight is out." He fumbled with his pockets but couldn't find the flint again. It didn't help that someone was now clutching his shoulder, fingers digging into his skin and giving him a small tug. He jumped at first, but realized it was Astrid the moment she spoke.

"Get the light back on, Hiccup," she commanded, but he couldn't find the flint. _Where was that flint_? He could have sworn in was in his pocket –

He picked up a sound then, despite the minor hubbub from the other kids… The** scratching**.

"Oh no," little Hiccup murmured, "… I hear it too."

All the other children stilled in their places, unmoving. Astrid's grip on his shoulder tightened to the point of being painful. Everyone else could hear it now: a faint scratching, coming for the left… no, the right.

Now it was somewhere else.

Now it was everywhere.

Fishelgs whimpered pityingly. Someone decided to try to move and stumbled somewhere, cursing. It was then they heard a low drone, wavering yet continuous… like someone moaning in pain… The chill settled in their stomachs, panic beginning to pool in their very core.

"We need light!" Tuffnut cried out in exasperation.

"I can't find the flint!" Hiccup complained, still searching his every pocket.

Astrid's grip loosened for a moment as she pulled him closer and started to feel at his clothes, patting at him with forceful taps. "_I'll find it_," she growled, basically smacking the boy silly all over the place.

Well, he couldn't deny he'd wanted Astrid to be close to him for the longest time now; but this was completely uncomfortable and painful and he was pretty much sure the whole experience was supposed to feel the exact _opposite_. So he tried to get her to stop, which never usually worked out anyway so he wondered why he still even tried.

Chaos erupted the moment Snotlout shrieked out, "Oh Gods! I can feel it! The smell!"

The **smell**. Everyone could feel it, too…

Tuffnut ran straight against Hiccup's wall, hitting it with such force he collapsed on the ground, unconscious. His twin sister blindly tripped on him and screamed, scared witless that she might have stumbled on the dead woman.

Her yelp freaked Fishlegs out even further, causing him to hurl his dinner all over the floor. Astrid gripped Hiccup's tunic tightly, giving up on the idea of finding the damned flint; he swayed unsteadily, mindlessly spreading his arms protectively around his friend.

As soon as Snotlout heard the sound of something squishing, he let out a high-pitched squeal – "_IT'S HER ROTTING FLESH!_" – that threatened to pierce everyone else's eardrums.

At that moment Tuffnut bolted upwards, wide awake thanks to the blood-curdling yelp, running the opposite direction from the wall and crashing into Snotlout, who was immediately sent hurtling through the doorway and down the stairs from the loft with a startled cry.

By now Fishlegs was sobbing, Ruffnut had found Hiccup's bed and hid herself under the fur blanket, Tuffnut was yelling shaky apologies in Snotlout's direction – who lay sprawled at the end of the stairs – and Astrid had all but jumped on Hiccup's lap, causing the skinny kid to collapse to the ground in a very inelegant fashion.

They were all going to die.

That woman was going to come for them, and eat their hearts, and make them watch, and –

"WHAT IN THOR'S NAME IS GOING ON?" Came Gobber's booming voice from downstairs. He'd heard the kids screaming on his way to the privy and went to investigate, only to find a terrified group of kids yelling that the dead woman had killed Snotlout.

Snotlout, of course, was pretty much alive. Just very sore. He refused to open his eyes the entire next day, convinced that the thing was haunting him, even after he was told perfectly logical explanations.

The scratching sound was only the mice running about (the Haddock household cat had died a fortnight prior and had not yet been replaced). As for the smell and squishing, those had been a result of Fishlegs' upset stomach. The candle going out had been due to a breeze, certainly.

But the fact is, to this day none of them likes to speak of that night. It's just one of those weird "what if" moments, caged securely in the back of their heads, never allowed to see daylight.

Even now, the sound of scratching makes Snotlout's hairs stand up in the back of his head.

* * *

THE END

* * *

Since I'm kinda lazy and rather unimaginative, the name "_Dauðramein_" is a mix of the words "pain" and "death" in Old Norse.

Does anyone have anything against bumping the rating to **T** ? Because there might be one or another drabble that can't fit into the K+ rating, haha. (and I may or may not have already written something along those lines, derp.)

Opinions are very well received. :D also if you have any horror favorites - books or movies -** I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW** because i seriously can't find enoough good stuff.


	6. Bump

Hope you like it. I wanted it short but sweet. :3

**Summary:** it's those small moments of happiness you want to hold on to... Cue gratuitous Hiccstrid fluff for no apparent reason.

**Warning:** character death... Nah, I'm kidding! Warning is for excessive fluff and some sexual references. Rating now bumped to T.

* * *

Bump

* * *

Hiccup ran his fingers over her exposed belly for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. He pressed his head upon it, listening intently as he absent-mindedly caressed the sweat-glistened skin.

The look on his face was one of sheer bliss and pure adoration. As they lay silently in bed, catching their breath under the fur blankets, the pitter-patter of the rain on their rooftop created the perfect background sound for the unperturbed atmosphere.

It was a good thing Hiccup had created a glassed hatchway for their ceiling when he built their marital home – it the very first ever on any Viking dwelling. In fact, theirs was the very first house to have actual windows in Berk, an idea he'd picked up abroad. The glass was thick and robust but still allowed Astrid to lose her gaze in the stars above as they seemed to melt away, an illusion caused by the rain that trickled down on the glass.

"Everything's okay, you know. I feel fine," Astrid said, smiling at her husband. "Reeeally fine…" she murmured, her voice dripping with that typical afterglow.

His light beard tickled her skin softly; his lips melted against her navel like warm butter.

"I just want to make sure, that's all."

Hiccup had been extremely wary during the initial phase of Astrid's gestation. It seemed comical to everyone else; Hiccup always referred to it as "their" pregnancy, like he himself was also with child.

Everyone saw Hiccup's thoughtfulness as sweet and endearing – Vikings were tough, but even they had a soft spot for babies –, yet it had been Hel of a process for Astrid. Convincing her spouse that lovemaking would NOT harm the baby proved a godlike task, especially since Astrid's hormones had thought it a good idea to couple an increased libido with extreme mood swings.

A deadly combination if there ever was one.

Sprinkle in the constant queasiness in her stomach (whoever decided to call those things "morning sickness" deserved a kick in the head; they should be called "_all day long never catch a break go vomit on your dragon's saddle while flying_" kind of sickness), and you have a winning formula for disaster walking around Berk with an axe in hand and a Nadder at her command.

The fact that Hiccup initially wouldn't dare touch Astrid with a ten-foot pole only made it worse. It was only after she had the craziest meltdown – blame it on those hormones – that Hiccup finally snapped out of it. Well, that and having a healer _assure_ him that it was both fine and even recommendable that they not cease their amorous undertakings.

On the other hand, there had also been this extremely awkward phase that lasted for nearly three weeks. Hiccup became whiny; he was moody; he rejected his food and gagged frequently. Gothi gave her peculiar diagnosis – _sympathetic pregnancy_, something basically unheard of in the Viking age.

Astrid had laughed heartily despite herself; she had married the single most _compassionate_ man in all the Barbaric Archipelago. Maybe even all of Midgard.

After that, things finally returned to relative normality… Sort of. Hiccup had always had a thing for cuddling after their activities, and early into their wedding the way he would just gaze upon her nearly freaked Astrid out. But she got used to it, and began to relish those moments of tenderness.

However, after her stomach started growing out it was like Hiccup couldn't stop _looking_ at it. He seemed truly flabbergasted each time he looked at her rising belly, as if it had just popped up in the middle of his wife's body absent warning and he had to gawk at it out of sheer surprise.

His enthusiasm always made her smile madly; there was such a change in his persona inside the bedchamber, like he had a split personality.

He would invariably lose himself during their lovemaking, transforming from – well, Hiccup – into a sensual young man with an unbelievable pelvic thrust, sweltering lips and curious hands that never stood still.

Years of dragon riding had given him mastery over the sway of his hips, which Astrid thanked the Gods for each night, her prayers filling the air in wordless cries and muffled gasps.

After each time he would dedicate a moment to pull her closer and bask in their intimacy, invariably kissing her shoulders sheepishly and avoiding eye contact for a few moments. He always did that; always.

He still did that tonight, as in all previous nights, but recently he had taken into sinking lower in bed to attend to her stomach. The day when he first felt the baby kick he almost hadn't been able to stop laughing in disbelief and overjoy.

"Rest assured. Everything's okay," she told him again, although she knew her words made no difference. He'd become less and less worried, and more and more caring. He wasn't just checking if everything was alright; he was giving the unborn baby his attention.

Hiccup was the kind of man who never stopped seeing the magic in the world with child-like wonder. There was this underlying innocence, despite all he'd been through and the world he lived in, that never truly left him.

Astrid would have melted right there on the spot, had that been possible. The way Hiccup had just started to coo at her belly was simply too adorable to stand…

It was also kinda hot, too.

Astrid bit her lower lip thoughtfully. She dragged her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair and urged him back up to her lips for a tantric kiss. Eventually, she felt him grow against her thigh and she sighed in expectation, resonating in the same frequency of yearning that he emitted.

"Hey babe… wanna go again?" He asked goofily in that oh-so-very-Hiccup fashion, shaking his head suggestively like an untamed dog. Astrid laughed at his silliness and nodded, welcoming him back inside of her.

* * *

END

* * *

You guys ever heard of the **Couvade syndrome**? Hehe. I picture Hiccup would be so involved and excited about the pregnancy he started breaking down with symptoms as well! Lol.

/stupid headcanons are stupid but I'm a sucker for fluff, what can I say? Maybe I'll write about that specifically. If anyone would like to read about a giddy Hiccup, that is. LOL.


	7. Behind Closed Curtains

Please don't hate me for this ridiculous excuse of a drabble. I just... I don't know. Okay? XD

**Summary**: in which poor Fishlegs accidentally eavesdrops on a "conversation" that's not very healthy for his virgin ears…

* * *

**Behind closed curtains**

* * *

Fishlegs needed to go get his father's favourite sword sharpened. He knew Gobber was busy doing supplies inventory with the Chief for the day, but hoped at least Hiccup might be available – today was a no-fly day, what with the horrid chilly gales blowing mightily around Berk. Not even the dragons wanted to leave their masters' households.

So Fishlegs wrapped a warm thick scarf around his neck, trotted up the hill to the Chief's residence and knocked. Nobody replied, of course; neither of the Haddocks had a habit of being indoors if they could help it…

Which was absolutely mind-boggling as far as Fishlegs was concerned. In days like these he loved to just snuggle with Meatlug under a nice warm blanket and read a book or two or three.

Now to check the forge for any sign of the Chief's son.

As he approached the building, he could hear the voices coming from the back; one of them was definitely Hiccup's. Good. Fishlegs made his way into the smithy and was just about to pull Hiccup's workshop's curtain back… when he heard **it**.

Something – or rather, someone – thudded against the wall.

Fishlegs' hand suspended in mid-air, awaiting its brain's command. Maybe that sound had just been outside.

Another thud. A groan. Nope, that was inside. _Behind_ the curtain.

The voices floated from that unseen space and Fishlegs dropped his hand, leaning in a little closer. He wasn't eavesdropping, just... Trying to make sure he wouldn't be interrupting something. Fishlegs didn't want to be rude, after all.

"Ow! Hiccup, be careful." Someone hissed. Not just someone; that was Astrid's voice, no doubt there. There was some rustling of fabric on a hard surface - wood or metal.

What were they doing…?

"I'm trying, I'm trying." Hiccup said, his voice strained, "But we're not angled right."

"Maybe I should just climb off for now," Astrid suggested, "Give you a better view."

Now Fishlegs was confused. Better view of what?

"No no, don't climb off." Hiccup pleaded, "At least not yet. Just give me a little longer, will you?"

"Okay… But I'm not very comfortable like this, you know?" Astrid said. Hiccup apologized. More rustling followed, a few more groans and even a couple of gasps. Fishlegs inched even closer to the drapes, trying to comprehend what could possibly be making all those different sounds.

Fabric… clothes? The clattering and the tinkering, maybe… was Astrid wearing her studded skirt today? Or maybe _she wasn't wearing it anymore_. Oh.

"Ahh," Astrid hummed, "that's a nice touch. Try it again."

"Okay…" Hiccup said tentatively. There was an inaudible whisper, followed by a small twang – and whatever it was that Hiccup did, it immediately made Astrid giggle.

Astrid. _**Giggling**_.

By this point Fishlegs was completely red all over his face, but he was in a sort of trance; he tried telling his _legs_ to move out of the way, but they didn't budge. And they're on his name! The nerve of them.

"Okay, now I'll try," Astrid's voice rattled with curiosity and amusement, while Fishlegs' brain rattled with some very, _very_ indiscrete thoughts.

"Okay. You press it like this…" Hiccup said, and there was some more rustling and shifting about behind that curtain. Astrid giggled **again**.

Fishlegs made a mental note to ask Hiccup exactly what the heck he was doing to the girl. Not that Fishlegs was planning on putting that knowledge to the test anytime soon. It was just for… academic purposes. Yes. He merely had a theoretical interest in in. Plain bookish inquisitiveness.

Of course.

"Hiccup…" Astrid started again after a little while, "I really want to stretch my legs."

"Okay, just hold on a little longer."

"Easy for you to say. I'm not in the most comfortable of positions, you know… This place is so cramped."

Sweet Frigga on a pedestal, _positions_? Poor Fishlegs' mind had gone rampant by now, and the images he conjured up were those of a very acrobatic nature; limited, of course, as was his knowledge of... whatever it was thet Astrid and Hiccup were doing back there. There was some more shuffling and ruffling; then some tinkering and gasping. What the Hel.

"Sorry! But this is what works better for me."

Well. Fishlegs never really thought of Hiccup as a greedy person. Guess he was wrong.

"Besides," Hiccup started again, his voice now a little tense, "this in the only place nobody will bother us. People almost never come back here."

"I know, but still…"

"Okay, almost done here. Just hold still… Yeah, okay. Now just sit back like that," Hiccup instructed, "and… how does that feel?"

Fishlegs couldn't really tell WHAT those noises were, but it sounded like Astrid was… jumping? Shaking? He had no idea, but it sounded crazy!

"Feels fine. It fits alright! That's actually a lot more comfortable," Astrid replied happily. There was some more shaking, then feet stomping on the ground, and Astrid whimpered – Fishlegs felt a little frazzled despite himself.

"Great! Well then, we're all done for today." Hiccup let out a long, long sigh and there was another thump and a thud, a swish and then a clatter.

What in Odin's blind eye were they doing?

"Sorry if it took too long Astrid, it's just I'd never tried that before."

Tried what before?

"Ah, that's okay. I'm glad you called me over for it, anyway."

Called her over FOR WHAT?

"Well, doing this by myself just really isn't the same thing… Thanks."

Doing **WHAT** BY HIMSELF?

"Sure! Technically you're doing **me** a favour, so you can borrow me anytime you want."

Fishlegs heard them kiss – there was some mild slushing followed by a loud smack – and then Hiccup chuckled. "Anytime…?"

"Anytime," Astrid replied, nearly a whisper – but by now Fishlegs was so close to the curtain he could hear a fly land on a needle.

By Thor, were they going to go at it again? Maybe if Fishlegs pulled the drapes juuuust a little bit to the side, he'd be able to –

The curtain swung open suddenly and Astrid nearly collided into the statuesque Fishlegs – who went from bright pink to pale white and then back to pink again like a flashing Snoggletog light, stumbling backwards like he'd been poked by a hot metal rod.

Astrid looked taken aback and seemed to eye Fishlegs with unmasked suspicion; Hiccup just looked nervous. He shuffled about and stepped outside of his workshop, pulling the curtain close behind him. The couple's clothes seemed dishevelled, their cheeks a little more colourful than usual, strands of hair sticking in all the wrong directions.

"Hey there, Fishlegs! What brings you over to my neck of the woods?"

Fishlegs didn't know anymore. He didn't even know whether he was more scared or more embarrassed by the whole episode.

He stammered and stuttered and tripped on his own tongue and made a perfectly nonsensical excuse for himself, then rotated on the spot and scampered off the opposite direction.

The couple stared blankly at the wobbly Fishlegs as he scurried back to his house.

"… What did he mean, he _left his socks on the stove_?" Hiccup inquired. His girlfriend merely shrugged and shook her head, just about as flabbergasted as he was. Fishlegs did have his odd moments every now and then, so this little episode didn't really surprise Astrid. She then noticed something lying on the ground.

"Look, isn't that his dad's sword?" Astrid asked, walking over to the forgotten weapon and picking it up. "It looks blunt. He probably brought it over so you could sharpen it," she concluded after examining it.

"Strange. Wonder what got into him," Hiccup said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You think he saw anything?"

"Hard to tell, but I think not."

Hiccup sighed with relief and grabbed Astrid by the waist, careful not to touch the spikes on her skirt. He kissed her gently on her left cheek and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good. I want your new saddle to be a surprise for everyone else. It's gonna be so cool!"

* * *

END

* * *

Pfff so shoot me if I find the idea of a Peeping Tom Fishlegs amusing. :p (also the over reactive mind of someone who doesn't really know what sex/making out sounds like)

All that noise to make a saddle, huh? It's just that Astrid's new saddle design looks great… What if Hiccup offered to make her the new saddle, and asked her to "model" for him so he could make it as comfortable as possible? IDEK. I also don't know HOW that idea eventually mutated into what you've just read but it did, okay? Sorry. XD

So the next drabble I want to update is both NSFW-ish and totally goofy, and I'm not sure if that's the greatest combo ever but it just seems to RIGHT in my mind... xD

I'd like to thank you peeps for the reviews, the faves and the follows. Means a lot to me, really. Even the people who've never said anything, thanks. :D but don't be shy, you hear? TALK TO MEEEEEEE. I'm talkative. :3


	8. Rumour Has It

Yet another little idea. I was going to write it "normally" (as a narrative), but then this came out... IDEK. xD Let me know if it's too confusing. But I guess it sorta follows the writing "syle" of the previous chapter?

**Summary:** people believe what they want, and in the end... it's just rumours.

* * *

**Rumour Has It**

* * *

"That nasty cut? He got it wrestling a Gronckle."

"A Gronckle? No way! I heard he got it fighting off an Outcast."

There was a disgruntled snort.

"An Outcast?"

"Yeah."

Someone chuckled.

"What? No, you guys are all wrong. He fell off the cliff when he was mountain-climbing."

"From where?"

"From up there."

Four sets of eyes followed the path indicated by the outstretched finger, and one of the kids gasped.

"You're saying he fell ALL the way down FROM THERE?"

"And he only got that one cut?"

"Yes!"

"That's yakshit. He was attacked by a Troll who came to steal his socks at night."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He woke up, saw the Troll, grabbed a hammer and went for it."

"Wow. He has a hammer?"

They all looked around at each others seeking confirmation, but nobody knew for sure.

"I don't believe that."

"Well, I think he still has both his socks."

"Maybe we should check."

"Pfff, he probably has more than one pair of socks, how do we know which one **didn't** get stolen?"

"That makes sense."

"It does…? Of course it does. I knew that."

There was an exasperated sigh, followed by a groan.

"Well, I heard he got nicked by a Nadder spike and then he used his dagger to open up the wound so he could suck the poisoned blood out."

"Tuffnut, you idiot. How would he suck the blood **from** **his own chin**?"

"… I hadn't thought about that."

"Clearly," Snotlout replied, his voice dripping with contempt.

Astrid was getting pretty fed up from the conversation. How the other kids could come up with these ridiculous ideas was beyond her.

"Guys, none of that even makes any sense," Astrid said. "Hiccup was helping out at the forge and Gobber accidentally knocked the weapons shelf over. Hiccup managed to hold it up," Astrid's eyes fluttered without her even noticing it, "but one of the weapons still cut him."

Snotlout furrowed his eyebrows, grimacing. "You can't tell me you believe that **Hiccup** held that shelf full of heavy weapons!"

Astrid flushed the very slightest before barking back, "What about you? **You** said he fell from THAT high point in the mountain! That's crazy!"

"Well, I personally don't believe he held up a shelf. And he didn't fight off an Outcast either," Snotlout grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

"What? That's way more believable than what Fishlegs said," Ruffnut retorted.

"Well, I suppose it could have been a small Gronkle…" Fishlegs considered thoughtfully.

Astrid scoffed. "I don't know where you guys get these ideas, but I got my info from a **reliable** source."

"What does 'reliable' mean?" Tuffnut whispered into his sister's ear, but she only shook her head.

Fishlegs, who at this point seemed more curious than pensive, asked, "Who was your source?"

"_Gobber_ told me," Astrid replied nonchalantly. And for a moment, she even shrugged and gave everyone her _I-told-you-so_ face… but it only lasted a moment, really, because everyone else burst into an uproar of complaints.

"I can't believe that guy!"

"What, he was the one who told you?"

"Yes!"

"And me too!"

"What the Hel!"

"Wait, so did **everything** happen **at the same time**?"

"Huh?"

"You mean Hiccup fought off an Outcast riding a Gronckle while they fell down a cliff, and then a Nadder – "

"Dude, that doesn't even make sense…"

"Then HOW did Hiccup get that wound?"

"Beats me!"

"And me!"

"I have no idea."

"Man... Gobber totally tricked us."

"I'm so angry right now!"

"I **knew** something wasn't right."

"Pfft, yeah. Me too."

"I know! Silly, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah."

"… Yeah."

The groupl fell silent, letting the realization of their gullibility sink in like an oversized yak in quicksand. Eventually Snotlout suggested they go practise carrying sand-filled buckets, and everyone agreed it would be best. They let the subject drop and never touched it again.

So here is the story: they had all seen the fresh, big, nasty cut on Hiccup's chin the previous night. Curiosity had nestled in the heads of all the young teens, but nobody had wanted to **ask** Hiccup directly about how he got the bad cut. Nobody wanted to seem like they cared too much about it, anyway.

Yet each of them had individually gone to Gobber to ask the question, and had obviously gotten a different answer.

Eventually the cut healed and became a scar. None of the teenagers would ever admit it, but they thought it looked kind of cool... Perhaps this was because of the mystery surrounding the origin of the wound, and not exactly due to the size of it.

It was too embarrassing to talk about how they had all bought into the blacksmith's excuses. So, to this day, nobody knows how Hiccup got the scar.

Except for Hiccup himself – and Gobber, who had essentially been the cause of the boy's injury. By deceiving the other kids, the old Viking was actually being quite thoughtful regarding his apprentice…

After all, falling from a tree – after getting caught peeping on the girls while they bathed in the hot springs – was probably not going to help Hiccup's reputation.

So why not jazz it up a little? People believe what they want, and in the end... it's just rumours.

* * *

**END**

* * *

So that was that! Gobber is such a considerate mentor. :D

A/N:

I **do** have this solid headcanon that Hiccup got his scar when he was little - maybe while his mother was still around - but this was a different idea I had.

And I wouldn't have worked out like I wanted to if they were younger, so I'd place their ages here roundabout 12 years old.

I do have an idea or two that might require me to use this "sneaky", "loose" conversation type of drabble, so let me know if it's just... to strange, or something. XD I'm groping for reactions here, people. :p I need to know what works.

***cue Careless Whispers and the "I have no idea what I'm doing" GIF***

Whoah where did that come from. Too much Tumblr and dragon nip! Whoo. Anyway, thank you for reading my sweeties. And extra special fluffy thanks to my adorable reviewers, you sexy kittens. :3


	9. Silence

**WARNING**: bit of a risqué fluff/smut and overall silliness in this post... I'm not sure if it should be filed under M-rating or not, but I suppose not? is this NSFW-ish? xD

**SUMMARY:** Hiccup makes Astrid feel at peace most of the time, but he also has a way of triggering a hot restlessness within her - mostly unwillingly.

* * *

Silence

* * *

Astrid had been awake for a while now; but Hiccup was still dozing off, sleeping with his bare back turned to her. She was the kind of person who sometimes just _hated_ being still, hated having nothing to do with her hands.

Astrid was, of course, perfectly capable of keeping quiet and unmoving. But that didn't mean she _liked_ it all the time. The silence was bothering her, when it usually brought her solace.

Right now, Astrid was bored, and so needed something to do… Her eyes fell upon the young man snoring peacefully beside her, and she understood all to well the reasons for her sudden restlessness...

She smirked.

"Stoooop it, that tickles!" Hiccup whined as he stirred awake, groggily trying to push Astrid's hands away from his exposed torso. He pulled the fur cover – which she had dislodged – over himself, but it didn't prove to be much of a defence against her persistence.

"Oh come on, you big baby…" Astrid cooed, batting her eyelashes at her beau in a hopefully adorable way. He didn't buy it.

"No. You know I'm ticklish," Hiccup said firmly, his lips set into a straight, thin line. He was visibly grumpy from the rude awakening.

"I know."

"And you know I _hate_ tickles."

"I _know_," Astrid sighed. "But it's not like I was doing it on purpose…"

Hiccup scoffed, unconvinced. He lay belly-side up, clutching the heavy blanket up to his chin like a little kid.

"Honestly! I was just tracing your scars," she said, tugging at the furs until she managed to pry them from Hiccup's hands, dragging the makeshift fluffy barrier over them instead of between them. Hiccup groaned, but didn't try to claim them back.

Astrid scooted over, pulling him into a sideways hug and resting her head on his chest. She pressed herself heavily against him, sliding one of her naked legs up and down his and rocking her hips beside his thigh suggestively.

Hiccup didn't say anything; he just let out a half-moan, half-grunt of mild exasperation. He knew all too well where this was going.

"Ah, c'mon… I've barely had time to catch my breath."

He didn't mean it as an actual _complaint_ and Astrid knew this all too well. There was still a thin film of sweat over his burning skin; her hair was still damp, clinging to her neck and shoulders. A thin veil of steam wafted from their bodies, an effect of the contrast between their warmth and the bedroom's cold temperature.

Their lovemaking had been tender yet energetic, desperate even; as it always was whenever they'd been into an argument and then decided to end it with a kiss. The kisses would never suffice, however, and they would just end up completely tangled in one another, sometimes still half-clothed.

She didn't even have to rub up against him for long.

"Ah… there you go. Looks like catching a breath will have to take a rain check," Astrid murmured teasingly into Hiccup's ear, nudging him with her nose. He chuckled and kissed her forehead; he made to turn himself sideways to kiss her fully, but then… she…

"Astrid."

"Hmmm?" She asked nonchalantly.

"… what are you doing?"

"Uh. Nothing?"

Hiccup paused for a moment, squinting suspiciously at her like she'd grown a cabbage on her head.

"You **do** know that's not how it's supposed to –"

"I know, I know," Astrid cut him off, "But this is **so** much fun! Actually, I want to look."

"Wha – no, you're not gonna… Hey, don't – aw, come on! Don't wiggle it like that!" Hiccup tried to push her off once again; he failed, unsurprisingly.

Astrid had thrown the fur covers back – Hiccup shivered at the sudden contact with the cold air – and was now admiring the way her hand jiggled his half-soft length around. Left and right, left and right, round and round, bobbing like a Terrible Terror partying on dragon nip.

"Yeah…" Hiccup deadpanned, face flush as a tomato and just about ready to hide his face under a pillow. "**That's** arousing."

"Just look at it go!" Astrid laughed heartily, any attempt at appearing sensual now completely abandoned. Her head was still rested upon his chest, and Hiccup could feel the smile pulling widely at her lips.

Of course, Astrid knew she had the goofiest smirk on her face – but she couldn't care less. It was great, being able to just _let go_ with someone like this. With Hiccup, she could just unleash her inner goofball… and embrace her inner _Freyja_. Win-win.

"Isn't that enough? I liked what you were doing before **a lot** better." Hiccup asked, rolling his eyes around dramatically even though Astrid wasn't even looking at his face. He then added, jokingly, "You'll make it sick, jerking it around like that."

"But isn't that the point?" Astrid asked, still laughing. She pushed herself up on her elbow and looked at Hiccup straight in the eye. "Just flip it and rub it around until… well…" she shrugged and bit her lip, knowing how this always caught his attention, "…until it spills."

Hiccup _tried_ not to let her suggestive behaviour get the best of him.

"Yeaaah, actually, that's not really how it works," he droned, shaking his head in overstated disapproval, basically mimicking the flailing about that was going on down below his waist.

"But isn't this how you taught me?" Astrid asked with fake naivety. She loved their little games and banters; but this one was just taking it to a whole new level of intimacy. Of trust. And it was fun – bonus point – so she loved it more than she'd want to admit.

Actually, she loved _him_ more than she cared to confess…

"I must be a terrible teacher then."

"The worst," Astrid replied, sticking her tongue out at him. Hiccup merely seized the moment; he tilted forward and sucked her tongue into his mouth. She squealed in surprise, but welcomed the playfully sloppy kiss nonetheless.

It wasn't a messy kiss for too long, though; soon enough their lips and tongues rolled up their sleeves and got to some serious make-out business. The mood began to settle again.

Hiccup groaned when Astrid finally stopped haphazardly toying with him. She got her hand moving _just_ the right way, as Hiccup's fingers glided down her sultry thighs and towards her – what?

Astrid's hand became completely still. Hiccup broke the kiss and gawked at her in mild indignation.

"What?" She asked, her voice once again deceitfully casual, but her eyes had that edge that clearly indicated she was playing a dangerous little game.

"Don't '**what**' me," Hiccup replied, tilting his head down south to where he firmly believed her hand was supposed to be.

"Fine, I **won't** 'what' you."

And then Astrid plopped back down – thank Odin his bed finally had a mattress – and snuggled under the blankets as if nothing had happened.

"You _gotta_ be kidding me," Hiccup drawled, the hint of exasperation making his voice sound raspy and strained.

"Let me check your scars," Astrid spoke from beneath the furs. Oh. So _that's_ what this was all about.

"… what? **Now**?"

Her head peeked from under the blankets, blue eyes lit up with amusement, and she nodded.

"But… but!" Hiccup stammered, now straight out pointing at his very obvious and very impatient arousal and looking as if he had a deadly wound that needed to be tended urgently.

"Pfff. I'll get it back up in no time!" Astrid replied, as if she were talking about sharpening her axe, or braiding her hair. Hiccup just crossed his arms and slanted his head sideways, frowning and very much unamused.

"I'm not **that** easy."

Oh. Was that a challenge? It was on.

Astrid snapped forward and grabbed Hiccup, wanting to drag him down with her. He refused to do so without a fight though, and for a while the two lovers pushed and pulled at each other, stark-naked and ignoring the chilly temperature of the bedroom.

They laughed loudly, giggling at their own stunts, nearly stumbling to the floor in their playful tug-of-war. Hiccup eventually allowed himself to be pinned down on the bed; Astrid climbed on top, straddling him with a victorious "Aha!"

They didn't move for a while; just looked at each other until they no longer needed to gasp for breath, until their lips were no longer strained in an effort to stop grinning madly… Even the air surrounding them seemed to become still, as if trying not to disturb them.

Their closeness was indescribably enjoyable and undeniably comforting; a thrill akin to that of flying, yet infinitely more peaceful. They relaxed into one another as two lovers who are also closest friends, and there were no words that needed to be spoken…

But Hiccup was never able to keep quiet for long, anyway.

"I really enjoy the view from down here," Hiccup said in a soft voice, breaking the silence. His eyes purposefully rolled down from Astrid's face to her breasts and he smiled cheekily; his allusive smirk gave her a severe case of the goosebumps.

She smacked him on the arm light-heartedly and, tucking her loose hair behind her ears so it wouldn't fall to Hiccup's face, bent down to kiss his forehead. They rubbed their noses softly, tenderly; a habit they'd fallen into whenever they were this close.

"Turn around," Astrid directed, her index finger making circular motions in the air as if instructing. Hiccup was about to question her, but then decided against it. He figured a back massage would be great right about now.

"As M'Lady commands, M'Lady shall receive," Hiccup replied with a salute, eliciting a giggle from Astrid. She spread her legs a little, to allow him some movement, and lightly sat just below his bare, freckled bottom.

Astrid then kissed Hiccup between his speckled shoulder blades, working her way down his spine very, very slowly. Her fingers traced patterns on his back, and he knew what she was doing – looking at his scars again.

Not that he was littered with them, but he was a Viking. Scars were a part of their people. Why she took a sudden interest in his was completely beyond his grasp.

Hiccup didn't care anyway; it was actually quite relaxing, to his surprise. He figured it was because now she wasn't tickling him at all – he had a few marks on the sides of his ribcage, and those were _definitely_ ticklish areas. No, Astrid was actually being delicate and soothing.

Lips, fingers, warm breath. So slowly, so gently... He felt himself drifting into a limbo, trapped between lazy drowsiness and increasing yearning. He could only hear the rustling of the moving furs, the quiet smacking of her lips on his skin.

He could stay like this forever… if only she'd let him.

"_**HEEEY**_!" Hiccup shrieked in a mist of surprise and indignation; such an unbecoming sound for a grown Viking man! But then again, he wasn't used to being bitten on his butt, and had most certainly not been expecting it.

"**Why** would you **do** that?" He demanded, and in his efforts to sit up he nearly threw the overly-amused Astrid off his bed; but she couldn't stopped laughing.

Not when they began wrestling playfully and tickling each other, not when they finally wound up toppling down on the floor in a tangled mess of sweaty limbs and an occasional poke of his prosthetic on her calves and feet. They didn't bother getting back up on the bed; the furs had been dragged along with their bodies, providing cushion enough for the occasion.

Not even when Hiccup entered her, as each gasp and moan of hers always had a hint of a giggle in it. Only when she cried out his name with nothing but pleasure behind her voice, and shook beneath his weight with a final sigh, did her laughter stop entirely.

They both drifted back into sleep holding each other, sticky and messy and poorly wrapped in the thick blanket. Right then, nothing existed outside of Hiccup's bedroom.

This was the kind of silence Astrid welcomed... For the time being.

* * *

END

* * *

For some reason isn't letting me edit this document properly... Hope I post this correctly.

Anyway, I was very insecure - and still am - about posting this chapter BUT I feel like I have to do it, now. So if this gets somehow edited don't feel surprised (if you even notice it, lol).

Happy New Year! We're almost in 2014 now... and I'm late for dinner, oops!


	10. Secret Odin - Cold Feet

**Summary**: sometimes, pain shows up at the worst possible moment... On the other hand, maybe having the best kind of company really isn't that bad. Hiccstrid fluff with a tiny sprinkle of spice.

So it was my first time participating in the Secret Odin thing on Tumblr. That was fun. :D

I'm sure I need to reply to some messages but I've been swamped, like SWAMPED with work and it's killing me a little bit, slowly but surely. I do have my moments to unwind, but my brain doesn't seem to want to cooperate sometimes. XD huggles to ya'll anyway.*

For my Secret Odin's giftee, Keysamoguri - and also for the delight (or horror) or my readers - I present to you:

* * *

**Cold Feet**

* * *

Winter in Berk always had a bit of a tendency of catching the population off-guard. One moment it was cold and snowy, the next it was a full-blown horrible tempest of snow and hailstorms and everything that could possibly cause your internal organs to freeze within seconds.

It usually wouldn't last for long, but it was as deadly as it was swift and sudden. So unpredictably fun.

One would think of it as romantic – wind raging outside, fire burning warmly within the hearth of a household, the temperature of its embers matching that of the couple of young lovers as they cuddle for warmth…

But, no.

Not this couple.

At least not _yet_.

"Astrid, would you please **stop** hogging the blanket?" Hiccup complained, tugging at the much-needed furs while he tried to nudge his girlfriend with his shoulders.

"It's not my fault this thing isn't big enough," Astrid retorted, allowing Hiccup some more fabric but not _too_ much, "which is really weird, considering how big your dad is."

Hiccup shot her a flat look.

"This blanket is from **my** bed, so it's usually enough for **me**," Hiccup said. He shivered; Vikings were used to the cold, but right now he was absolutely _freezing_ all the way down to his bones – even the ones he didn't have anymore.

They had been flying outside together all morning. It had been snowing softly, nothing that would impede flight – until winter happened to decide it wasn't cold and miserable enough for everyone, so it turned Berk into a freezing death trap. Luckily, they'd been close enough to the town.

The couple flew straight into the first place available to hide from the swirling vortex of frost – Hiccup's house, through his bedroom's ceiling door. Their frozen fingers haphazardly dislodged the soaked clothes off their skins, the uselessly wet pieces of fabric set to dry around the fireplace.

Hiccup dearly hoped Astrid didn't notice how embarrassed he was about them changing clothes so close to each other; just the thought of her undressing in the same household was enough to make him a little jittery.

He lent Astrid some of his dry clothes – making a mental note to never wash these particular items ever again – and they both huddled close to the fire, their dragons dozing off beside them, both saddles removed.

Astrid rubbed her left leg vigorously; obviously Hiccup's pants were shortened on the left side, and even wearing a pair of woolly socks didn't quite cover up her exposed shin.

"What is it with you people," Astrid wondered out aloud, "That you only own small blankets and half pairs of pants?"

Hiccup caught the joking flex behind her words; the smile discretely beginning to pull at her mouth.

"I think you mean three-quarters pairs of pants," he corrected, smiling back at her. "But this is obviously a great excuse to have M'Lady as close to me as possible."

Her smile widened; her cheeks were now flushed and as rosy as her lips, and for a moment Hiccup lost himself in the contrast between pink and blue. His right hand found a way to rest upon hers and, giddily, he realized he was touching the exposed skin of her leg, the small hairs brushing his fingertips.

Astrid's eyes slowly flicked from Hiccup's hand to his face, the intention of her gaze perfectly clear. More than mere permission or tolerance; she _welcomed_ the touch. Her lips curled farther up her cheeks, appearing all-too inviting to Hiccup.

"Oh, is that so? Seems like a lot of trouble to go through." There was a glint of orange-red fire in her still dank hair; Hiccup all but wished he could weave his fingers into her dampened tress.

"It's nothing," Hiccup said, shrugging lightly, "everything went as planned today."

Astrid eyed him amusedly, chuckling delicately as she tilted her head sideways. The soft sound mingled with the crackling of the fireplace and the howling of the tempest. The dissolving imprint of her voice left a bubbly sensation inside Hiccup's chest, and he sighed.

"Really? So the storm, did you plan that one too?"

"Yeah, well… Didn't you find it a little bit _too_ convenient?" he replied, offering his palms up to the cool air as if gesturing at his obviously perfectly executed strategy.

"Wow, Hiccup. I guess you can really move mountains, can't you?" Astrid nudged his ribs with her elbow, feigning admiration and surprise.

"Sure! I mean," Hiccup paused, looking for the right words, his gaze floating about the dim room before becoming riveted on Astrid, "With the proper… motivation." He concluded with a smirk, eyebrows boldly arched as he nodded his head slightly.

Astrid tried not to laugh at his nearly-casual flirtation. It was something he'd steadily been working on lately, almost discretely. Whether it was purposeful or unintentional she couldn't quite know; but it had its effect on her, in the end. He almost seemed to be hiding a potential form of seduction behind his overstated sarcasm and silliness…

It was hard for her to ignore it anyway, since it somehow accompanied the physical changes Hiccup had been through.

His shoulders had broadened, his chest somewhat expanded. Arms, neck and legs grew out of their thin childish features, gaining more mature proportions. The soft lines of his jawline became angled, the hairs on his chin raked her skin when they kissed. The bobbing Adam's apple now stood out, as did his cheekbones.

Hiccup was now _taller_ than her, something she'd never bothered with until she noticed how strangely _different_ it made her feel.

He had gradually become more confident as the years went by, more contented and natural around her throughout this time. They got to a point where Astrid herself would gladly join in on his banters, revelling in how easily he brought out the fun-loving side in her…

And the _loving_ side, too.

It _had_ taken them a while to get a grip on things. They weren't in any rush, anyway; things were good and uncomplicated in their relationship and there was no need to be making any constant confirmations on whether they were together or not.

They were kids, riding dragons, living adventures. Friends, above all else, who had this uncanny way of understanding each other. A companionship neither of them had ever expected.

When the actual _physical _component had started to kick in, well…

Astrid tried not to laugh, but at the same time she tried not to sigh and throw her arms around him. Both options were equally compelling, but neither seemed entirely appropriate at the moment.

So she merely scooted over the slightest little bit until their hips bumped together – she pretended to be thumping into him with her shoulders – and bit her lips. Astrid had come to notice Hiccup would look at her differently whenever she did that; and this moment was no exception.

Not openly replying to his line, but instead playfully firing back. There was something so subtle about the game they played…

Sometimes she just felt like ripping off the subtlety, and throwing caution and propriety to the wind.

But she always got a hold of herself.

"Are you saying I'm a motivating person?" Astrid asked lightly, and for a moment Hiccup almost seemed to be lost in something.

His smile faded abruptly, as his childish demeanour gained a solemn edge. The way he positively flipped from casually playful to intensely focused nearly startled Astrid.

When Hiccup dipped his head in pursuit of her lips, she couldn't quite still the frantic fluttering that settled in her heart, nor the ember of heat pooling below her navel. Hiccup squeezed her hand gently, and Astrid's digits curled around his without further thought.

He didn't pull her to him; she just drew closer out of her own initiative, leaning into him like she'd gone out of balance. She felt the oppressive, sweltering heat grow stronger the closer she got to him. Their bodies met – hips and thighs and arms and _chests_.

They _had_ hugged before on different occasions, but this time their proximity felt different; there was a new meaning behind it, something usually kept deep and hidden. This feeling slowly reared its head, tremulously unveiling its temptations; deftly winding them together…

Toothless snorted censoriously just at the right time, startling Hiccup and Astrid enough for them to break the kiss and scoot apart, the fur blanket nearly slipping off their shoulders in the process.

It was all for a good cause, anyway; who knows what form of strange spell would have been cast if they'd kept at it for much longer, and Toothless was **not** about to be a silent witness to whatever shenanigans the human couple was planning on ensuing.

_Especially_ due to his acute hearing. The Night Fury squinted at his rider, gracing the now-bashful young man with a look of mild disapproval which, he hoped, would convey the desired warning, before plopping his head back on his front paws with a low, annoyed purr.

Astrid scoffed, her hands returning to the rubbing motion of her leg even though she really wasn't feeling cold anymore. She fixed her eyes on her dripping clothes, hung the opposite side of the fireplace, listening to the fastened thrumming of her heart. Its beat seemed to echo inside her ribcage, as if nothing else was there inside.

Maybe it was the reason she felt so _light_.

She avoided both Hiccup's and Toothless' stares for the time being; although, in all honesty, she really didn't know what she was being so withdrawn about.

Maybe because she hadn't had time to brace herself for the kiss. Hiccup had been sudden enough to catch her off-guard… and she had loved not being in control of it.

One day… One day, Hiccup was going to make her _lose_ it.

Hiccup cleared his throat, coyly toying with a loose thread on his tunic.

"Yes," he said after a pause. Astrid curved her head toward him, confusion knitting her eyebrows together.

Hiccup sighed, overly rolling his eyes and letting out an exaggerated groan.

"I meant, **yes**, you're a motivating person."

"Oh," Astrid hummed, unwillingly allowing a giggle to escape her lips before she could grab hold of it. "Maybe I could motivate you into finding me another blanket…"

They smiled at each other again, and this time actually broke into easy laughter – carefree and light.

"So how about I make us something hot to drink? I need to shake off this cold too," Hiccup said, suppressing a shudder from the sudden chill on his spine. His missing foot was getting at him again… what bad timing.

"I'd love some tea, thanks."

Hiccup got up, leaving the fur blanket all to his girlfriend – who pulled it to her dramatically and completely wrapped herself up in it, only her face and the tips of her hands visible underneath the chocolate-coloured pelt.

Astrid sighed contentedly, humming tunelessly as she watched the fire crackle, until her attention was drawn by Hiccup's groan. A strangled sound, muted and quiet, but she caught it.

She watched him, the smile fading from her eyes as she noticed his gait had a limp to it. He tried keeping his face straight, but the lines of a grimace stubbornly kept making their way back.

Astrid said nothing, for the time being; she just let the mountain of fur come undone around her as he took his place beside her again and draped himself back into the warmth.

"You're really cold," Astrid murmured as she took his fingers with both her hands. She drew them up to her mouth, breathing hot air into his stiff digits, scouting his face for a sign as to what was wrong.

Hiccup sighed, warily, shaken by another chill. Astrid noticed it then – the darker lines under his eyes, the lack of colour in his cheeks, the way his expression seemed to close in on itself in distress.

"You're in pain," she stated flatly. It wasn't a question.

With a slow nod Hiccup outstretched his left leg, the one he had lost in the battle with the Dragon Queen some four years ago. Both stared wordlessly at the contraption that now stood in place of his foot.

He had tried to keep it under control, but the pain was just too much now; he could feel it _throbbing_, stinging rhythmically. Hiccup clutched at the point just above his prosthetic, grimacing at the wood-and-metal replacement as if his discomfort were the device's fault.

He _knew_ there was no more flesh left down there. But that didn't stop the empty space from aching… or itching, for that matter. Right now, Hiccup felt very cold; his feet – both of them – were absolutely freezing.

His girlfriend spared him a sympathetic look. Her thumbs rubbed the back of his hands in a soothing circular motion, almost reflexively. She understood, because she had been told about it before; a missing limb, no longer attached to the person's body, but still sensitive.

It was relatively common in their world. After all, many a Viking had lost their limbs during battles. Those who lived on would sometimes carry more than just the physical scar or mutilation.

She knew Hiccup had also needed to deal with a debilitating psychological toll. He had seemed to bounce out of it pretty well, though. Didn't take him too long to become steady on his toes and he didn't sulk about it for long…

He'd had other things on his mind, anyway. He'd been so excited about all the changes that had been brought into their lives with the start of the Integration. Astrid had always made it her point of honour not to mention his lost leg unless it was in appraisal – that his sacrifice had brought forth so many good things.

Besides, Viking men were supposed to be tough and strong, and to not complain even about these sorts of injuries… so Hiccup had the tendency to close his distress in on himself, and barely ever let it show. Astrid, though, had always kept a keen eye open for any sign of problems.

Nevertheless, throughout the years he'd actually become somewhat at ease about it – with _her_. At least enough to admit that he was going through _something_, albeit begrudgingly.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Astrid asked out of concern, yet trying not to sound like she was feeling too sorry for him. She didn't think him a weakling at all, but was afraid she might mistakenly convey that impression.

Hiccup just shook his head heavily; in spite of everything, he didn't want to seem **vulnerable**. Not that he had any particular problem down his walls around Astrid – she had always been great at supporting him whenever he'd needed, and seemed to read into him anyway – but this was _different_.

This was something illogical, beyond his reach and comprehension. Even though he had long-since accepted his loss, he simply could not come to terms with the invisible pain that would return sporadically every few months.

Whenever it happened, it made Hiccup feel bitter. He had managed to learn how to live with the leg's absence. But this stinging reminder that he was, basically, broken, always soured his mood.

Astrid didn't want to just sit it out in silence. She stood up, grabbed the pot filled with hot water, and proceeded to quest in search for a clean cloth she could use. She poured some water and herbs into a mug and stirred.

When she returned, she kneeled in front of Hiccup and thrust the overly hot mug into Hiccup's hands; he had to use the blanket to protect them from the heat of the cup.

"What..?" Hiccup tried jerking his leg away, but Astrid placed both her hands on what was left of his calf and, gently, pulled it to her.

"I'm going to help. You're freezing, and you're hurting. I don't want to just sit around and do nothing," she said, adamantly.

He knew, by the tone in her voice and her concerned expression, that she was completely resolute about it. She wanted to _help_... as she always did.

Hiccup beheld her, blinking through the thin veil of steam from his mug. Astrid was dressed in his unflattering clothes, kneeling on the floor and with her damp hair sticking to her forehead, bathed in the dancing light of the fire as she held his incomplete leg between her hands…

She had never seemed so wonderful before.

"You're beautiful," he blurted out without a second thought. The words hung in the air for a while, as if they were unsure what to do about themselves. They wound up deciding to settle on the couple's cheeks, lightly tinting them with the faintest of rose-coloured awkwardness.

Astrid critically looked down at herself and then back at Hiccup. She clearly didn't believe him, at all.

"You don't have a fever or anything, do you?"

"I… no. I meant it," he replied flatly.

"Okay then," Astrid replied in the same tone. "Thanks," she added in sheepishly, in a whisper. She was still holding on to his leg.

"So," she said as she scratched her nails over the wooden surface of the prosthetic, "you'll let me try and help you?"

There it was again, that look in her face. Astrid could be deliciously obstinate when she wanted to.

"Okay," Hiccup said, letting out a long sigh, his shoulders sagging in defeat. There was no point in struggling against her much more.

Still, when she placed the prosthetic on the floor and began folding his pants backwards, he recoiled brusquely. He couldn't know why, but he just did.

Astrid kept her hands firmly on the fabric of his pants, gracing Hiccup with a reassuring smile and an encouraging tug.

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. I've seen it before, remember? And this time, it's not bleeding all over my clothes."

Hiccup relaxed, then, as memories of a conversation held so long ago began to play in the back of his mind. Gobber had told him how, after the incident when he almost died, Astrid had helped bandage his seeping wound after their healer performed a quick on-the-field surgery.

She had overseen that Toothless was well taken care of, before departing with the rest of the teenagers back to Berk, securely carrying Hiccup all the way on Stormfly's back.

And after leaving him to the care of the healers, she then returned to the Dragon's Nest with the remainder of Berk's fleet to help evacuate the rest of the Vikings, as the Red Death had spared too few vessels from her fiery wrath.

Astrid had stood by his side, often visiting his house to check on him and to keep Toothless company. She had volunteered to test out the equipment Gobber rebuilt for Toothless' new saddle, and only after making sure it worked properly did Gobber alter the pedal to fit Hiccup's new foot.

She'd always kept close, for days on end, while he was unconscious. She had already seen him in the _frailest_ condition possible, and yet still confessed she thought him to be one of the strongest people she knew…

They had never actually talked about it; he never really got to thank her properly for all of it.

Hiccup's heart cartwheeled in his chest. He was assaulted by an assortment of feelings then, and he would have positively levitated out of gratitude if he could. A small knot formed on his throat; he tried washing it down with hot tea, but it only proved helpful to warm up his stomach.

Astrid finished unravelling the bindings around his leg. She dipped the clean cloth in the hot water and fished it back out; it was steaming as she twisted it to remove the excess water. Her hands were red and raw as she used the hot cloth to clean around his stump, but not once did she flinch or hiss.

Occasionally she would dip the cloth back into the hot water, twist it dry again, continuously dabbing it softly over the scarred skin.

"Let me know if it gets uncomfortable," she hummed soothingly, massaging the area with a tenderness Hiccup had never seen.

But it never felt uncomfortable, not once. It only kept getting better and better, until he felt a wave of sheer relief as the pain below finally toned down, eventually fading away as if it had never even been there in the first place.

She looked up to him, noticing his much more tranquil countenance.

"Feeling better?" she asked. Hiccup nodded, and she beamed heartily at him in the most endearing of smiles.

Yet she calmly continued her ministrations for a while longer, reassuringly glancing at Hiccup every now and then. One final time she dipped the fabric into the warm water, twisted it, and then wrapped it around the stump. It felt warm, and cosy.

Astrid might not have a knack for cooking, but she was _great_ at this. At helping, aiding and calming.

"There you go," she said, giving his knee a small squeeze. She looked at the wrapping and exhaled, absent-mindedly rubbing his knee.

"It's a part of you, you know? This is, like… the coolest battle scar ever," they both let out a small chuckle, faint but earnest. "And you should be proud of it. It's the mark of a _hero_."

The way she put the emphasis in that last word left no room for doubt. There was a spark of honest admiration in her, and it lit Hiccup's soul on fire.

He shook his head weakly in ever-lingering incredulity, but couldn't really find a way to contradict her.

"Thank you. For this," he said, gesturing at his leg, "and for… everything else."

Astrid's face lit up fondly at the reference; she pushed herself up on her knees and dove under the covers into a tight embrace. He rubbed her back gently as she dug her face into his chest; and when she pressed her ear against it, she could hear the rapid thumping within.

"Come here," Hiccup whispered, his hand tucking lost strands of hair behind her ear. Astrid looked up at his half-lidded eyes and, noticing his chapped lips, licked her own in anticipation.

Hiccup panted in surprised, not because of the wet kiss or the way her tongue flicked across his lower lip – but because Astrid now sat on his lap, each thigh to the side of his hips.

_Straddling_ him.

Maybe her intentions had been innocent enough, but Hiccup needed a whole lot of concentration not to let his excitement _show_. He tried focusing on the kiss alone, unsteadily capturing her bottom lip between his own as his hands rested gawkily on her elbows.

That was **not** where Astrid wanted his hands.

She breathed in deeply, hotly, into his mouth; purposefully, she dragged her nails up and down his back in slow aimless motions, feeling his muscles tense and relax under his tunic.

She wanted to coax him into unwinding enough to give in completely; otherwise Hiccup's kisses would lack a certain… intensity. Like he was afraid to cross an invisible line.

Astrid badly wanted to get back to the proximity of that kiss before Toothless interrupted them…

She slightly tilted her head sideways, bumping their noses together. She giggled into his mouth, feeling it stretch as he smiled.

Her lips grazed across his soft stubble as she moved her hot kisses over to his jawline, then behind his ear. Hiccup shuddered _very_ suddenly, not entirely used to having his neck and throat kissed this way.

His eyes shot open in surprise when her hands took hold of his, and guided them elsewhere – to the small of her back, no less. And even a little bit lower…

Oh, Gods. _What_ was she doing?

"It's okay," she whispered into his ear as he seemed to be offering a bit of resistance. She gave his warm hands one last squeeze before cradling his cheeks, pulling their faces together just enough so their lower lips would graze…

Now it was he who took her by surprise. She all but yelped when his hands – now actually resting on her buttocks – crushed their hips together, pulling her into a newfound kind of pressure.

The pelt cover toppled to the floor, its presence no longer necessary.

Astrid's eyes shut tight, but her lips remained open in a wordless whimper, shaky and breathless. She thoughtlessly rolled her hips into him as he kissed her throat, the heat of his breath travelling under the cleavage of the tunic and tickling her chest.

Astrid absent-mindedly noticed _something_ begin to prod near her left thigh, but didn't even give it a second though… until Hiccup quite suddenly – if a little _too_ briskly – shoved her off his lap.

"_What_?" she demanded hotly, her tone perhaps a bit too sharp but, frankly, she couldn't care less. She had been enjoying it _thoroughly_, until he'd pushed her away.

A flustered Hiccup stammered something incoherently as he tried to pull the discarded pelt to cover his lap… and that's when Astrid understood _why_ she'd been pushed off.

"Oh," she said out aloud, her eyes a little wide and her cheeks a little rosy, a strange sense of thrilling satisfaction settling in the pit of her stomach. A pregnant pause followed as Hiccup shuffled about with the covers, until he finally stopped fidgeting a let out a forlorn sigh.

"I'm sorry," he groaned, now slumped forward in an awkward position and scratching the nape of his neck rather nervously.

"That's okay," Astrid replied, shrugging in a hopefully nonchalant manner, "it's not like you can _tell_ it what to do, right?"

"Y-yeah… I guess…"

Hiccup seemed to sink even lower in embarrassment; she actually found it all sorts of loveable. He might be unsure about bringing some _spice_ into their relationship, but Astrid certainly wasn't. She wanted more breathlessly hot kisses, more closeness, more _contact_… And she wasn't afraid to seek it.

"I promise it **won't** happen again," Hiccup said, gesturing with his open hands to further emphasize his point.

"Good," Astrid agreed, nodding; a playful smile on her lips. "You better not do it again."

"I'm sorry."

"So it's a promise, then?" She edged on toward him, biting her lips.

"Yes. I promise," he repeated, but now uncertainly. He eyed her with curiosity as she leaned even closer. She seemed as if she were about to kiss him…

But she merely stood up, collected her clothes and pulled on her boots.

"That storm seems to be over…" Astrid took a moment, her eyes closed, to listen to the wind outside. Hiccup remained equally still; in the silence that settled in, all they could hear were the soft snoring of their dragons, the fireplace singing in crackles. The sound of the powerful blizzard blowing around the village had ceased.

"So… I should head back," Astrid motioned her head towards the door, "I'll return your clothes later."

She quietly woke up Stormfly and walked over to the entrance door, watched by a somewhat befuddled Hiccup.

"And don't forget your promise… Next time you get cold feet, don't push me off. Let me _warm you up_."

The suggestive smirk she gave him and the _way_ she said it echoed in Hiccup's mind throughout the rest of the night, haunting his dreams in the most delightful way possible.

And the wretched pain in his lost limb remained completely dormant for many, many years.

* * *

_END_

* * *

Dang, this was long for a drabble...

For some reason I remembered about the aftermath of the Red Dragon battle. I wonder what happened, so, that's one possible idea of how Hiccup got home.

And in modern society know about the phantom limb pain, but back then I suppose their comprehension on the matter was more limited. We don't see it in the TV or movie but I'm sure Hiccup was affected by the loss of his limb, and possibly the psychological effects of it still sometimes manifest, even when he's apparently okay.

Ramble off. If you read the whole thing you deserve a cookie. xD


	11. Tell a Tale,add a Tail

**Summary:** You know when word spreads around, and eventually the original message gets scrambled up?

* * *

Tell a tale, add a tail

* * *

"Hey Fishlegs. Have you seen Hiccup?"

Fishlegs didn't even look up from his absorbing book – a dangerous task while walking, but he was experienced at this sort of multitasking by now.

"Nope, sorry Astrid."

Astrid sighed deeply, shaking her head at no one in particular. "Well, if you do find Hiccup please tell him I'm looking for him. I really need him to check on Stormfly's new saddle."

"Okay."

Soon after, Fishlegs happened upon Snotlout rushing around by the docks, a basket of fish in his arms.

"Hey Snotlout. You seen Hiccup? Astrid was looking for him, she said something about needing him to check her saddle."

Snotlout merely shook his head and shrugged, not even slowing down. "I'm meeting up with Tuff in the stables, so if Hiccup's there I'll let him know."

Tuffnut was already at the Dragon Stables long before Snotlout arrived, since he was the one on cleaning duty that day. Snotlout carelessly dropped the basked of fish – some of them fell out – and gave out a loud yawn.

"Here's the fish for the dragons," Snotlout said. Tuffnut only grunted a thank you of sorts and continued to sweep the floor, focused on his task because he wanted to get it done as soon as possible.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Snotlout deadpanned. Then he remembered something about Fishlegs, and asked Tuffnut whether Hiccup was around.

"Nope, haven't seen him," the male Thorston replied absent-mindedly.

"Well, I'm gonna go flying with Hookfang – have you seen the weather? –, so if you see Hiccup tell him that Astrid wants him to check on her saddle."

"Astrid. Hiccup. Saddle. Got it." Tuff grumbled back.

Snotlout made a big show of stretching and yawning some more.

"It's a beautiful day to be out flying; why anyone would ever want to be cooped up inside a dark, smelly –"

Something wet and slippery connected with Snotlout's head, knocking his helmet to the ground. Tuffnut, broomstick held up menacingly, was just about ready to toss another fish at Snotlout. But the dark-haired Viking ducked, grabbed his helmet, and made off before Tuff could steady his aim.

"Yeah, you better run for it!"

"Not running, flying!" Snotlout obnoxiously called back, his voice already distant.

Eventually, a frustrated Tuffnut finished his duties and, tiredly, dragged himself all the way from the Academy back to his house. He plopped down at the table for half a mug of ale and some bread and cheese.

His sister arrived in the meantime, carrying a basket of laundry with her, and Tuffnut took the opportunity to remind her she needed to take Barf and Belch to Gobber for a check-up.

"Why does it have to be me?" Ruffnut complained, setting the basket on the floor near the fireplace, "I've been doing errands for mom all day."

"Because it's Barf's breath that smells really bad **and** he's been grumpy. Since he's **your** half of our dragon, you're the one who has to take him," Tuffnut reasoned.

"Ugh," groaned Ruffnut, "Fine then, I'll take him. But I'll check if Gobber's at the forge first. Don't want to wake up Barf and Belch for nothing."

"Oh, wait up," her brother called as she was leaving, "do you know where Hiccup is? Astrid wants something about a saddle with him."

"No idea," Ruffnut answered with a shout, already outside. When she got to the forge Gobber was there alright, heavily beating away at a red-hot piece of iron with his prosthetic hand, now converted into a weighty hammer.

"Hey, Gobber!" Ruffnut yelled over the sound of metal clanking on metal.

"Aye, lass!" He replied, his movements never stopping.

"Are you free today?"

"Eh?"

"Barf. Needs. Dentist!" She yelled back slowly.

"Jus' give me ten minutes!" Gobber yelled back.

"Thanks!" Ruffnut said, and before going back out she added, "If Hiccup comes by, tell him that Astrid wants a saddle from him!"

"**Eh**?!" it took Gobber a couple of seconds for the words to sink in. He figured he'd misunderstood what Ruffnut had said, so he stopped hammering and looked around; but she was already gone.

Gobber finished up his work, and when he was done he began to gather his favourite dentistry devices. Hiccup arrived in the meantime, scurrying about all over the place as if he were looking for something.

"Oy, Hiccup. Where've ya been all day?" Gobber asked, drawing the words slowly and purposefully. Hiccup was so distracted he didn't even notice the forewarning, suggestive tone of his mentor's voice.

"I just went for a long flight with Toothless after lunch today," Hiccup replied hastily from within his office as he scrambled around looking for something, "and I kind of lost track of time because I found this really cool thing... Anyway, the problem is I forgot I'd promised to help Astrid out, but I need to find something first…"

Hiccup continued to mumble to himself as he rummaged through his workbench and shelves absent-mindedly, opening and closing several small flasks and jars, smelling them, making an occasional sour face at one or another.

Gobber took the opportunity to corner his apprentice, standing directly in front of the passage from Hiccup's small office to the forge. This was going to be interesting.

"So, speaking of Astrid, I've heard something very strange…"

– – – – /\\ – – – –

By the time Hiccup managed to find Astrid, he was all but out of breath from half-walking, half-racing around Berk TWICE, clutching a little flask of leather oil nervously in his sweaty left hand.

"Hiccup! There you are," Astrid greeted with a smile and a small wave, "I've been looking for you!"

But Hiccup just marched up to her and thrust the small container into her hands; his expression unreadable, ears and cheeks a sunny shade of pink, eyebrows knit together over darting green eyes.

"Um... thank you?" Astrid said, unsure. She cocked an eyebrow at her boyfriend; he looked like he had a fish bone stuck in the back of his throat.

"Hey. Are you okay?" she asked out of concern, in an oddly sympathetic voice she. Hiccup just nodded – in a way that screamed he **wasn't** quite okay. Astrid sighed, knowing him all too well.

"Just spit it out. What is it?"

Hiccup was clearly struggling with _something_, that much was certain – his body language was all over the place. His arms wouldn't stand still, his fingers drummed onto the palms of his hands, and he was making that adorably silly blowfish face that he always made when he was edgy or unsure.

He glanced around tensely, to check if there was anyone around to hear him, before leaning over to Astrid.

"Yeah, uh… so… what's this thing about," he cleared his throat, searching for the right words, "you wanting to… um… _straddle_ me?"

* * *

END

* * *

Don't even ask, I have no idea what this is okay? xD

And, yes, I know I switched "tale" with "tail" :p


End file.
